


Rival Hearts

by Beauxxxtiful_lies, Catastra_Fey



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Blow Jobs, Bullying, Dirty Talk, Enemies to Lovers, Exhibitionism, Explicit Sexual Content, Face-Fucking, Fluff, Friends With Benefits, Getting Together, Gryffindor Sawamura Daichi, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin Rivalry, Hogwarts Seventh Year, Implied/Referenced Masturbation, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Injuries, Miscommunication, Mutual Pining, Original Character(s), Original Spells, Past Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Porn with Feelings, Quidditch, Semi-Public Sex, Slytherin Kuroo Tetsurou, Smut, Threesome - M/M/M, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-09-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:00:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 50,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25923238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beauxxxtiful_lies/pseuds/Beauxxxtiful_lies, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catastra_Fey/pseuds/Catastra_Fey
Summary: As Sawamura Daichi and Kuroo Tetsurou's rivalry as Quidditch captains reaches a fever pitch, they both begin to feel a pull that breaks the bounds of antagonism. As Daichi battles with his own stubborn nature running against these feelings, Kuroo faces an even more difficult conundrum. What will he do when these budding feelings threaten his carefree lifestyle and more importantly, his career aspirations? As the pressure mounts, is it even possible that one infuriating Gryffindor could make him put everything on the line? As both boys prepare for the game that will determine the victor of the Hogwarts House and Quidditch Cups, they must weigh their own emotions against the future they have prepared for themselves.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Ennoshita Chikara/Sugawara Koushi, Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei, Iwaizumi Hajime/Kuroo Tetsurou/Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kuroo Tetsurou/Sawamura Daichi, Kuroo Tetsurou/Terushima Yuuji
Comments: 188
Kudos: 199
Collections: omg reread this





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hullo friends!! Welcome to the collaborative Harry Potter au that beauxxxtiful_lies and I have been working on for the past several months! This was our first collaboration with anyone ever, and it has been such a joy to work with her, I honestly can't thank her enough. I chucked this first chapter at her one day with a 'we should collab! jk,jk...unless??' and then this wonderful story was born out of it. I hope you all enjoy reading it even half as much as we have enjoyed writing and brainstorming about it!
> 
> ***Please note: as there are several explicit scenes, all characters in involved in these scenes (and referenced scenes) are 7th years and over the age of 18. This means that some of the canon age gaps are not adhered to. Hence the Aged-Up Characters tag.***
> 
> Please check out this [gorgeous art](https://twitter.com/lavasiru/status/1337994566369222658?s=21) of our boys that beauxxxtiful_lies had commissioned for a gift for me! Art is SFW from the incredibly skilled lavasiru of our protagonists! Thank you so much, love, I adore them <3333
> 
> I hope you enjoy our labor of love with these two saucy sorcerers!
> 
> We will be releasing a chapter ever Wednesday and Saturday (barring unforeseen circumstances)! Enjoy!

Daichi landed with just slightly less grace than usual, his exhaustion causing him to pull up his broom just a second too late and he skidded along the grass of the Quidditch field. He wiped sweat from his eyes as the other six members of Gryffindor's core team landed around him, all rushing over to the new Seeker to hoist him into the air in a cheer. They'd won the game by a hair due to Hinata's fresh skills and fervor and Daichi couldn't be more proud of the young 5th year.

The Hufflepuff team captain skidded to a halt next to him, lounging back on his broom. His iconic spiked up black and silver hair looking no worse for wear, despite the rousing game they had just played.

“Hey, hey, Daichi-san! That was good! Your new Seeker is the bomb! Gryffindor always gets the best natural talent.” His wide smile melted into an exaggerated pout and Daichi laughed.

“Bokuto-san, don't pretend like you didn't pin us against stands out there. You and Asahi have to be the best Chasers in the whole school. You score more points against me than anyone else, and even this victory was a thin margin that doesn't guarantee us the cup. So I've got no pity for you.” A grin broke across Bokuto's face as he slid from his broom down to the ground and took Daichi's hand, shaking it enthusiastically. It would be the last game they played together. They were both 7th years, both team captains for the second year in a row, and Daichi counted the other boy as a friend, though not as close he would have liked. They had only met last year, and between N.E.W.T.s and their class specialties, they had had little time to hang out with anyone outside of their direct circles. He watched Bokuto move back through his team, patting shoulders and giving encouraging words, never shying away from stroking his own ego. It should have been annoying, but something about his vibrant personality made it endearing.

Diachi wandered over to his own team, ruffling the new Seeker's shock of bright red hair and passing out his own compliments and constructive criticisms. The victory was hot in their veins, but Daichi always made sure that they never stopped learning from them. As he released them to hit the showers, his friend, Ryuunosuke Tanaka, lagged behind, falling in step with him. Daichi tried to uncrinkle his brow, but his expert Beater had already seen it.

“Worried about the Slytherin game next week, eh?” Daichi huffed out a sigh in response. He and Ryuu had been friends since he had come to Hogwarts in Daichi's second year. They'd both joined the Quidditch team at the same time, with Ryuu's older sister Saeko now serving as Gryffindor's other Beater. There was no point in trying to hide anything from him.

“Of course I am. Their captain's going to continue to look at Hinata like fresh meat to be chewed up. After our practice match they are going to be spurred further into wanting to crush him, body and spirit. I don't want him to lose that passion. He's so driven and he's really making the team better. I can see him being captain someday.” Ryuu nodded at him, but his brow was furrowed and he searched Daichi's eyes.

“So...nothing to do with the fight from last time then? Cause', you know, that suspension may be over, but you haven't even stared down the Slytherin's captain since. And I know it was a big deal, because you wouldn't even tell _me_ what he said that set you off so badly.” Daichi pulled his mouth into a tight line, keeping his gaze straight ahead.

Truth be told, he'd had trouble thinking about anything else. Slytherin's captain was arrogant, smug, and conniving. Their rivalry had been intense over the past two years, and with graduation looming, they both sought to best the other as thoroughly as possible, both on and off the field. Chance meetings in the halls had led to heated exchanges. Competition in the classroom had escalated to detention level mischief. Daichi had always been an exemplary student, until this whole thing had begun. He'd served more detention in the last year and half than the prior five added together. He was starting to worry it would threaten his chances of becoming an Auror. All because of that asshole.

The worst part was, Daichi couldn't stop _looking_ at him. At first it had easily been justified by needing to keep an eye on the devious boy, but soon Daichi realized that his gaze lingered in places it shouldn't have. Not that he was entirely innocent. He'd had boyfriends off and on since his 4th year, but the last one had broken up with him because of his obsession with this feud and he'd had little outlet for his pent up frustrations for most of the year. He'd found himself thinking of his nemesis at the most intimate of times and it made him angry. He hated the way being around the other boy seemed to fluster him so much, how he paid too much attention to his hands and his pale throat, the curve of his devilish smile. After what had happened, he suspected that his rival may be aware of his treacherous attraction.

All of that frustration had come to a head at the practice match three weeks ago. Slytherin had trounced them, three games, three losses, and were gloating with their usual venomous enthusiasm. The bullying was their typical modus operandi, but seeing how it affected his team had Daichi red in the face. He'd passed the other captain a warning glare, but his rival had just smirked, remaining silent as his team berated the Gryffindors with arrogant taunts and jeers. In frustration, Daichi had trudged across the field and the Slytherin captain had sauntered forward to meet him.

“Enough. Reel them in, now,” he'd demanded, jaw tight. The devious Chaser's face didn't change. In fact, he appraised Daichi in a way that made his blood heat in an enticing and entirely unwelcome way.

“Or what, Sawamura?” Daichi's fists clenched. Kuroo was almost the only person who used his last name like that and for some reason, it grated on him under these circumstances.

“Excessive celebration will cost you in a real game.”

“Good thing it's not one then.” He could feel his temper reaching its limit, his opponent cool as ever, head cocked to the side in mirth. Daichi turned back to his dejected team, signaling them to go back inside. When he turned back, Kuroo had stepped closer to him. His first instinct was back off but he chose to hold his ground with stubborn pride. Still, he felt his heart pound as he inhaled and caught the scent of his rival's cologne as the wind rushed around them, spicy and dark. They were far enough away from the two teams that with their voices low, no one would overhear them.

“Go on then, captain. Run after your little whipped puppies so you can try to coddle them back to life. I'm finished with you for today.” The Slytherin's sharp gaze flitted over him. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Unless you'd like me to humiliate you more?”

“You son-of-a-bitch. Why are you like this? Why do you go to such lengths to antagonize me?” His rival's eyebrows perked up at the honest question, despite it being hissed though gritted teeth. He watched Kuroo, figuring that since the question had sneaked out, he might as well wait for an answer.

The Slytherin captain's eyes dipped down to his mouth, which made Daichi's face heat uncomfortably. He'd seen him do it a few times, obviously just to rile him up further, but he saw the taller boy bite his bottom lip, as his gaze drifted back up from under his wild dark hair to lock with Daichi's.

“I think you like it.” He said it with such sultry confidence that a shock went straight to Daichi's groin and he burst into motion. He grabbed Kuroo by the collar of his robes and jerked him forward sharply, pushing him back just as fast. He fell to the ground on his back, looking up at Daichi in surprise. The Slytherin team exploded into shouts, rushing to their captain's aid. A shrill whistle sounded as Professor Nekomata landed between the two of them and settled his hard gaze on Daichi. _Fuck_ , he thought to himself.

Three days of suspension and almost of month of working double-time to avoid any sort of contact with his rival had left him wholly unprepared to face him in the inter-house game. And as a Keeper, he would definitely be facing the captivating Chaser, both on the field and in the air. It made his chest tight. Ryuu nudged him with a bony elbow, still waiting for an answer.

“It's not a big deal,” Daichi told him, “He's just a dick. I'll handle him like always. And don't worry, I won't put my hands on him again.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! Beauxxxtiful_lies here! We have had so much fun working on this, and I’m so excited to _finally_ be sharing it with you all! 
> 
> Cat and I mostly alternated chapters (with just a few exceptions), but all Daichi POV will be brought to you by Cat, and Kuroo POV will be brought to you by me! 
> 
> Brace yourselves. It’s going to be a wild ride. 
> 
> ( ˘ ³˘)♥

“Oi, Kuroo! We’re grabbing lunch, you in?” Iwaizumi gestured over his shoulder with a jerk of his thumb to where Terushima and Tsukishima stood with their book bags. 

“Nah, maybe later.” 

“You sure man?” Iwaizumi eyed him suspiciously. 

“We all know you plan to run us ragged in practice tonight. You’ve got to eat something,” Tsukishima scolded from over Iwaizumi’s shoulder.

Tsukishima was right. In Kuroo’s mind, having the title of Captain didn’t exempt him from working hard. In fact, he probably worked twice as hard as the rest of them, not counting Oikawa, of course. But no matter how much he pushed, they all knew that he would be right there beside them every step of the way, through every flying, passing, and blocking drill he could think up.

It was part of the reason his team had so much respect for him as Captain. He took his role seriously, and he took care of them. In turn, they did their best to make sure that he took care of himself, too.

That definitely didn’t stop him from teasing his kouhai though.

“Aww, Tsukki! You do care!” Kuroo sniffled, placing his hand over his heart in a dramatic gesture and wiping an imaginary tear from his eye.

Tsukishima scoffed. “I take it back,” he mumbled almost inaudibly, looking away from Kuroo as the tips of his ears flushed pink.

“Anyway, you’re damn right I’m going to run you ragged. We’ve got a big match coming up and we’ve got to work on your blocking,” he said with a pointed look toward Tsukishima who just this year had taken over as the Slytherin team’s new Keeper. “And you, my problem child Chaser, need to work on your focus.” He directed his gaze toward Terushima. “You know what’s more fun than getting to play, Yuuji? Winning.” 

“ _Tsk._ Problem child,” Terushima grumbled, kicking at the path with the toe of his shoe. “We’re the same age.” 

Iwaizumi chuckled at Yuuji’s pouty lip, drawing Kuroo’s attention. 

“And what about me, Captain?” Iwaizumi’s voice dipped low, his green eyes sparkled with mischief.

“Mmm…You’re perfect, Iwa-chan. Never change.”

Iwaizumi fixed him with a scowl and landed a quick smack upside his head, “Oi! Watch it. You’ve been spending too much time with Shittykawa.”

Kuroo absolutely cackled at the accusation. “You’re one to talk,” he said through raucous laughter, rubbing at the side of his head where Iwaizumi had popped him. “Fine. You guys go get lunch. I’ve gotta take care of something, and then I’ll meet you there.” Kuroo waved them off with a casual flick of his wrist.

“Aye aye, Captain!” Terushima shouted with a salute as he grabbed ahold of Tsukishima, who had long ago hidden his reddening ears under his headphones, dragging him off toward the commissary.

Before turning to follow them, Iwaizumi grabbed hold of his sleeve. “Tetsurou, I know that look,” he said keeping his voice low. “I don’t know what you’re up to, but stay out of trouble. We need you in this match, not sitting in detention. Got it?”

“Don’t worry about it, Hajime.” Kuroo smirked, leaning in close to Iwaizumi. He felt Hajime’s grip tighten in the folds of his sleeve. “Nothing is going to keep me from that game.”

Iwaizumi held eye contact for a few moments before responding with a solemn nod of his head. He released Kuroo’s sleeve and turned to follow after his teammates.

Kuroo watched them for a few paces before he spun on his heel to rush back down the corridor. He glanced down at his watch. _Damn, I’m not going to make it in time._ He picked up the pace, only to look up through the flood of students just in time to see a familiar outline dart around the corner at the other end of the hall, robes fluttering in his wake. _Shit._

“Missed him again, Kuroo-san?”

Kuroo steeled his expression before turning to the boy next to him and flashing a toothy grin, “I don’t know what you mean ‘Kashi.” 

“It’s Akaashi...and if I didn’t know any better I’d say you were looking for someone. Maybe the Gryffindor captain?” He set his sharp eyes on Kuroo’s face, one brow quirked lightly. 

Akaashi Keiji always had been hyper observant, ever since they met as first years on the train to Hogwarts. It was that keen eye that made Kuroo push Akaashi to join him on Slytherin’s Quidditch team, and he was glad that he had. The boy was a gifted Seeker. But he was sometimes too observant for his own good.

Kuroo turned around with a sigh, walking side-by-side with Akaashi back the way he had come. There was no use chasing down his prey; he’d never catch him with the halls full like this—and that’s exactly what he was, prey. Besides, Iwaizumi was right. Provoking a pack of Gryffindors wasn’t exactly the best way to avoid trouble, and nowadays Sawamura seemed to always be surrounded. It would be better to catch him alone.

“And why would I be looking for the Gryffindor captain, Akaashi-kun?” 

“You tell me,” he said with a pointed look out the corner of his eye. 

Before he could respond Kuroo caught sight of a silver and white blur barreling toward them through the packed hallway. “Don’t look now, but I think you have your own captain problems to worry about.” 

Kuroo snickered as he watched Akaashi‘s expression, eyes flashing wide when he heard “Hey! Hey! Hey!” thunder down the hall. 

“Well, I’ll leave you to it,” he said with a smirk, winking at Akaashi before shouting “Hey Bo! ‘Kashi’s been looking for you.” 

“You’re despicable,” Kuroo heard him mutter under his breath just before he collided with the giant Hufflepuff captain. 

“AGASHEEE!”

_‘Despicable,’_ Akaashi mouthed over Bokuto’s shoulder, but he couldn’t hide the blush that colored his cheeks as he was smothered in long limbs and enthusiastic shouting. 

* * *

Kuroo stuffed his hands into the pockets of his robes as he made his way toward the dining hall. Akaashi’s words echoed through his mind. _‘You tell me.’_ What does that even mean? 

He’s only doing what any good captain would do—keeping tabs on the enemy. So what if he’d gotten used to the constant push and pull from the other boy. They were rivals, after all. It was only natural that they’d butt heads. Only natural that he’d spend his every free moment thinking up ways to torment the other. It was so easy to rile him up. 

If crimson and gold filled his every sense, clouding his mind and sending his heart rate soaring, it was only because he was so committed to his team and their intense rivalry with the Gryffindors. 

Kuroo closed his eyes and saw Daichi’s face imprinted on the backs of his eyelids—angry, frustrated, so close to his own for a split second that he swore that it wasn’t the wind, but the other boy’s breath that he could feel hot on his face—just before he’d been dumped on his ass in the dirt. His ribcage clenched around his heart as he remembered the feel of Daichi’s fists tangled in his robes. 

He coughed, trying to shake the tight feeling from his chest. He had a responsibility to lead his team to victory. It was just a rivalry. Just a very passionate rivalry, and he couldn’t let this thing with Sawamura affect his judgment any more than it already had. Especially not with his entire future on the line. If he wanted to catch the attention of pro teams he had to focus. He needed to pull out a win in this game with the Gryffindors and secure the House Cup. Without that...

“Tetsu-chan? Are you okay?” As his thoughts cleared he lifted his head and looked around, realizing he wasn’t where he thought he should be. With his mind occupied his feet had carried him on auto-pilot to the Slytherin common room instead of the Great Hall. Oikawa placed his Potions book down on the arm of the sofa and turned toward him from his perch on the deep green cushions. “You look upset...did something happen?” 

“Oh...no. I was just...thinking,” Kuroo managed to stutter out through his embarrassment, running a hand through his already disheveled hair. 

“Well, don’t hurt yourself,” Oikawa said with a smirk. 

Kuroo chose not to respond, instead dropping his books in a heap on one of the small side tables nearby. He threaded both hands into his hair remembering his earlier promise to meet his teammates for lunch. “Aagh, Haji’s gonna give me an earful.” 

“You’re damn right I am.” Iwaizumi chose that moment to step through the door. Kuroo expected more of their teammates, but no one followed behind him. “What is it with you and the nicknames today?”

The corner of Kuroo’s mouth quirked upward in a sly grin, “What’s wrong _Haji?_ Don’t like it?”

Iwaizumi scowled at him. “Here,” he said, pointedly ignoring Kuroo’s teasing. “You looked stressed out. Figured you’d try to skip so I...brought you some food.” Iwaizumi thrust a still steaming bowl of katsudon toward him. “You can’t practice on an empty stomach, idiot. Not with the drills you put us through.” 

“Tetsu-chan does seem stressed,” Oikawa cooed. “Maybe Iwa-chan and I could do something about that.” He absentmindedly traced patterns into the crushed green velvet of the sofa, but his eyes tracked straight to Kuroo’s groin. 

“What the hell, Shittykawa!? I brought him lunch. You don’t just get to offer me up as dessert.” He scowled deeper, but his cheeks flushed bright pink. _Cute._

“What do you mean, _Haji?_ ” He slipped the lunch offering from his outstretched hand setting it aside. “Don’t you want to be my dessert?” Kuroo stepped closer, the way he had that morning, looking at him through his fringe of bangs with a sharp grin and one cocked eyebrow. 

Sparkling green eyes met gold in challenge. 

It was a split second before Kuroo felt himself yanked forward by the collar of his robes. Dark brown eyes flashed into his mind as their lips met and he gasped, his mouth opened just enough for Iwaizumi’s tongue to invade and glide against his own. Kuroo gripped Hajime’s shoulders to steady himself as they parted, shaking his head to try and clear his vision and focus instead on the body pressed against him. 

“Get over there,” Iwaizumi growled pushing Kuroo toward Oikawa. “We don’t have much time. Since Trashkawa is so eager to offer up his services, I say he gives both of us a little stress relief.” 

“Wait...right here? What if someone comes in?”

“I bet you’d like that,” Kuroo leered, leaning down over Oikawa and reaching out with one hand to grip his jaw roughly. “You’d love it if someone caught you on your knees for your Captain, wouldn’t you.” 

Tooru whimpered, but didn’t deny it. 

“It’s fine, I charmed the door.” 

“Aww, Hajime, you ruin all my fun.” Kuroo whined as he released Oikawa’s jaw. 

“Iwa-chan, you’re a prefect. Can’t you get in trouble for that?” 

Hajime yanked Oikawa up off the sofa and pushed him down to his knees on the plush rug underfoot. “Then you’d better make it worth the trouble, Tooru.” 

Oikawa looked up from the floor with wide eyes. They watched his pupils blow with want as they each presented him with a throbbing cock thrust toward his waiting lips. Tooru wasted no time, guiding Kuroo’s swollen head to his mouth while he stroked Iwaizumi with his other hand. He laved his tongue over the tip, lapping up beads of precome as Kuroo shuddered. 

Kuroo snaked his fingers around the back of Tooru’s skull, gripping him tight as he gave a few experimental thrusts, letting him adjust slowly. Oikawa let him take control, resting his hand at Kuroo’s hip as he savored the feel of him heavy over his tongue. 

Without warning he pushed in deep, forcing Tooru’s head all the way down until his cock brushed the back of his throat. His nose pressed into dark curls at the base, held there as his throat worked around the intrusion.

“Open those pretty eyes for me, Tooru.” Kuroo stroked gentle fingertips over Oikawa’s cheekbone, the touch so at odds with the firm anchor of his other hand twisted in his hair.

Oikawa’s lids fluttered open. He held Kuroo’s gaze as best as he could with tears pooling in the corners of his eyes. Soft keening sounds pulled from the back of his throat as Kuroo filled his mouth. 

“Good boy,” he said with a devious grin. 

“Shit,” Hajime whispered as Oikawa’s practiced hand pumped him in time with Kuroo’s movements. 

With strong hands still holding him tight Kuroo kept his eyes pinned on Tooru’s, fucking into him hard enough to force the air from his lungs and make his eyes roll back. After a few more thrusts, Kuroo pulled him off his length with a _pop._

Tooru sucked in a deep stuttering breath before angling his head toward Hajime and swallowing him down to the hilt. Iwaizumi tilted his head back with a sigh, tension fading from his shoulders as Oikawa hollowed out his cheeks and pulled back to tease the sensitive underside of his crown. 

“Tooru, baby, you look so good like this,” Kuroo cooed as Hajime threaded his fingers into Oikawa’s tousled hair.

He slipped his hand over Oikawa’s jaw, sliding his fingers back to tangle with Iwaizumi’s at Oikawa’s nape. “But you can do better than that. Why don’t you show us just how much you love sucking cock?” He tightened his grip again and pushed his hot mouth down over Hajime’s length, drool and precome spilling from his lips. 

_“Tetsurou—Fuck,”_ Hajime gripped his shoulder with his free hand as Kuroo held Oikawa down. 

“Look at him. He loves this,” Kuroo released Tooru, purring into Hajime’s ear. “He loves choking on it. Don’t you Tooru?” 

His cheeks were flushed red, lips swollen around Hajime’s length. He couldn’t answer, but his eyes begged for more, harder, faster. Tears streamed down his cheeks as Hajime slid over his tongue. He threaded both of his hands into the boy’s hair. 

“Fuck—Tooru I—I’m...” 

“Come, Hajime. Fill that pretty mouth up,” Kuroo whispered, breath hot on Iwaizumi’s neck as he stroked himself to the rhythm of Hajime’s hips against Tooru’s face.

“Ah! Fu—Fuck!” Iwaizumi came hard, spilling into the back of Oikawa’s throat as he gasped shallow heaving breaths. 

When he pulled back Kuroo tapped Tooru’s cheek with his palm curling fingers tight around his jaw, and pumping his fist over his swollen head, “Open up.” 

Tooru popped his mouth open just in time to catch a hot streak of cum across his lips. Kuroo painted thick ropes over his tongue and chin, shuddering when Oikawa swiped the streaks from his face with a shaking hand, licking it clean with a slow swipe of tongue. 

Kuroo and Iwaizumi collapsed onto the sofa, panting. Oikawa leaned forward, resting his head on Hajime’s knee until they both hoisted him onto the sofa to sprawl across their laps. They trailed soft touches over his scalp, and his arms as their breathing steadied. 

“Did you...” Iwaizumi quirked an eyebrow at Oikawa who grinned sleepily, nodding his head. 

“Untouched...You really do like that don’t you?” Kuroo teased with a knowing smirk. Oikawa turned, burying his face in Hajime’s stomach, mumbling something that sounded like _shut up._

“You know, that’s not going to get you guys out of drills today right?” 

Iwaizumi scoffed, “Just eat your lunch, Kuroo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you thought I’d start this off by handing you a chapter _without_ face fucking...you don’t know me very well. 
> 
> See you next time! 
> 
> ♡ ♡ ♡


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! Just in case you didn't see the update to the notes on chapter 1, we will be releasing chapters every Wednesday and Saturday going forward!
> 
> CW: there is minor injury with a bit of blood in this chapter. Nothing serious though. Quidditch can be a rough game! 
> 
> Also, some shameless self-promotion, I drew our Hogwarts [Kuroo and Daichi](https://catastrafey.tumblr.com/post/626562359880712192/aaaaahhhh-beauxxxtifullies-and-i-have-started) if you're interested! 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading everyone!

Daichi made his way with some trepidation out to the field. The Slytherins would only have one more practice day before their game this weekend and Daichi felt it was his duty as the captain to go and watch for any new plays or tricks. It was common practice nowadays for players to spectate the movements of their rival teams, but given his recent deliberate avoidance, it felt suddenly sneaky. He really should have made someone come with him to ease the tension.

Several other groups of students were making their way out as well, unsurprising as Slytherin garnered the largest crowds for their team practices. Oikawa Tooru had an avid fanbase, his charisma and general attractive features netting him a popularity other players could only dream of. Not to mention the rumors about the majority of the team and their involvement off the field. Many were drawn to the scandal of the beautiful young men sharing much more than just words of encouragement outside of the sport. Not that any of that was true, of course. Daichi knew an overblown rumor when he heard it.

Only one of the audience balconies were open during the practice runs, so Daichi made his way up with the other students, doing his best to keep his head low. While there weren't any rules against it, team captains were usually discouraged from attending. It had never stopped them before, but there was an expectation to keep a low profile, regardless. He sat toward the back with his hood drawn up, the same as several of the other students as it was chilly in the high vantage point.

The seven players moved in smooth lines between the goals, Kuroo at the point. Daichi watched him keep a close eye on his flanks, shouting directions that were lost to the wind. He pulled them in tight, moving like a single animal, then splitting off two by two until only their keeper, Tsukishima, remained and took his place at the goal posts. Kuroo gave them some direction and then a Bludger was released. Ah, dodging drills. One of the roughest but most useful for a skilled team. Kuroo flew up above the other players to observe and give instruction. Daichi trained his eyes on their newest player, a vicious and unpredictable Beater named Kyoutani. That guy had nearly taken out several of his players last game and it would be good to get a handle on his way of thinking.

“Diachi?” The voice that spoke shocked him out of his concentration and sent a jolt of anxiety down his spine. It had been almost a year since he had heard it so close and wrapped around his name, but it still scraped against his insides. He turned, heat creeping up his chest as he knew what awaited him.

“Sugawara, I-” he paused mid-sentence his eyes slipped from the lovely face of his silver-haired ex-boyfriend to the boy standing behind him, looking mortified. “Ennoshita. I-I didn't know you were planning to come to the practice game.”

Ennoshita was one of the Gryffindor Chasers, a good and strong player with a lot of potential. He was a year younger than Daichi and his dependability had made the case for him to step into the role of captain once Daichi graduated. Right now though, he looked like he might pass out.

“I, uh, yeah, well...” he stuttered and Suga frowned, his stony hazel gaze meeting Daichi's with an unwavering challenge.

“He's here with me.” Gears clicked into place in Daichi's mind and despite everything, he felt a sinking feeling in his chest.

“Oh. Right. That's...great. Good for you guys.” He tried to keep the edge from his voice, but the narrowing of Suga's eyes told him that he had failed. Ennoshita was so pale he looked like one of the ghosts that roamed the halls. It would have been funny if a pang of jealousy had not wormed its way into Daichi's chest and wriggled with discomfort.

“Can I talk to you for a moment, Dai?” Suga's expression was perturbed and Daichi wished beyond anything he could just tell him 'no' and avoid this whole awkward situation by simply moving seats. But he couldn't. He wasn't very good at saying no to anyone, and Suga was even more impossible to deny. He swallowed and nodded, standing rigidly to follow Suga's slim frame to the landing at the top of the stairs. It was still open to the field, but the other spectators wouldn't hear them there. He leaned against one of the poles which held the fabric walls of the structure in place, allowing him to keep an eye on both the audience and the game. Suga shifted his weight to one side, his flat glare pressing into Daichi.

“Don't make this hard on Enno. He's been panicking about this for weeks now. Honestly, I'm glad for it to be out in the open. But I need to know that you're good.” Suga was always so caring and kind, but there was an intensity to him now that bristled with warning. He was so perceptive and analytical, the pinnacle of what Ravenclaw represented and he wore the blue well. Daichi was hating that about him right now. “Because you seem...less than good.”

“It's been almost a year, you don't have to check in on me-”

“I'm making sure you're not going to let your Chaser down as a captain because of your feelings.” Suga's words stung against him like a slap. His anger from their break-up flashed in Daichi's mind, the cutting things he had said...Daichi's comfort was not a priority for him anymore. He was protecting Ennoshita.

“No, of course not. I thought you knew me better than that. It's a bit of a shock, but Ennoshita is a great guy, so I am happy for you. I'm the one who messed things up anyway, so I'm glad you found someone better.” It wasn't that the words were untrue, he did want the best for Suga. However, he failed to keep the bitterness from his tone. Suga searched his eyes, his face softening just a hint.

“Not that you seemed to have learned anything from it,” Suga sighed in resignation. He looked back over his shoulder and Daichi followed his gaze. Kuroo was looking at them, his features dark and eyes narrowed. The moment their eyes met, the Slytherin captain jerked away, flying back over the team and shouting at them. Daichi turned away from the game fully, not needing the distraction.

“Dai,” Suga continued, drawing him back to his soft face, his lovely beauty mark sharp in the bright sunlight, “you're going to have to deal with that at some point. With more than just fighting and sabotage.” Daichi scoffed at the insinuation.

“You never had any reason to worry, you know. He's just a selfish prick who seems to revel in making my life miserable. It's not weird to watch your back when someone is always coming at it with a knife.” Suga rolled his eyes which flared hot anger to Daichi's face.

“You're very stupid sometimes if you truly still think that Kuroo-san torments you so mercilessly just because 'he's a prick.'” Daichi flinched and clenched his teeth together, ready to respond with a defense that he had carefully crafted over many nights of overthinking how it might look. It wasn't lost upon him that there might be a reason he had developed such a defense, but like many other things in this lane, he shoved it to the back of his mind.

He took in a breath to respond but shouts broke out from all around him and he turned just in time to see a flash of a person barrel into him from the air. They hit him full force from a broom going top speed and he smashed into them, grabbing at fabric, the broom tumbling away. He hit hard enough against the column to knock the wind from his lungs, arms and legs tangling with the other student's. He was leaning against them, struggling for breath, and started to push them away, only to come face to face with his rival.

Kuroo was pulling back but he wobbled slightly, bringing his hand up to his brow line where blood was beginning to drip over his eye. Daichi's mind was scattered, but the pieces were coming together quickly as he realized that Kuroo had apparently tackled him from the air. He clenched his teeth and scowled, though it was in part in response to his heart's acceleration at being so close to the other captain. He could feel the warmth from his body, the air from his shaky breath cool against his cheek. Kuroo was straddling one of his legs, one hand wrapped in his robes and the other now bracing against the pillar, fingertips bright with blood. He opened his golden eyes, harsh beneath his creased brow, and even with his face twisted with anger and pain, his beauty was like a hot iron pressed close to Daichi's face. He felt himself begin to blush and channeled it into anger.

“W-what the fuck, Kuroo!” He tried to draw himself away from the compromising position, but he was pinned in the corner against the pillar and the fabric that surrounded it. What he did manage to accomplish, very much by accident, was sliding his knee up between Kuroo's legs and making him gasp as his thigh reached Kuroo's crotch. There was a fleeting moment, so fast he almost missed it, where Kuroo's scowl disarmed and his eyebrows shot up, lips parting as his gaze flicked to Daichi's mouth. But then he set his jaw, his brow furrowing viciously as he raised his bloody hand and pointed up and over Daichi's shoulder. In the fabric wall by where he had previously been standing. There was a large torn hole in the fabric above them, clearly the mark of where a Bludger had blown through. It was the entire reason that much of the stands were simply wrapped in heavy cloth rather than being built out of more permanent material. The audience shield did not extend beyond the aisle leading up to the top bleachers and stray Bludgers and the occasional Quaffle were free to move through the space on the landing where he and Suga had been speaking.

“If you're going to sneak into our practices, I expect you to at least keep your eyes on the fucking game, Sa'amura.” Realization dawned, blooming like a bruise over his pride. Kuroo had actually...saved him. If that Bludger had hit him in the head, he would have at least been knocked out, if not more critically injured. His nemesis, who seemed to live for making his life hell, had recklessly thrown himself at him in order to protect him. It wasn't computing properly. He looked back into Kuroo's ferocious face with a now wide and unguarded expression. His hands grasped at the other captain's robes unthinkingly.

“What's going on, is anyone hurt?” Professor Nekomata bent over them, taking Kuroo under the arm and hauling him up and away from Daichi. The audience had shifted their direction and the rest of the Slytherin players hung in the air around them, eyes wide. Their seventh year Beater gave a sharp look to his kohai.

“Kyoutani! Don't hit them toward the stands, dammit!” The younger blonde Beater flinched at the words of his senpai, huffing out an indignant breath. Iwaizumi just shook his head at him, turning back to them with a stoic expression. “Kuroo, you okay?”

“I'm fine, I'm fine, I just nicked my eyebrow. He's fine too.” Nekomata looked Kuroo over thoroughly, angling his chin down so he could examine the cut. The Quidditch coach nodded curtly and flashed his sharp gaze to Daichi. He nodded back to affirm what Kuroo had said. Nekomata's eyes narrowed.

“Daichi, you were extremely lucky that Kuroo put himself at risk to get you out of the way. Fifteen points for Slytherin. There is a reason that the signs are posted to remain in the viewing area during play. You know this. Heavens, saved by the boy you threw to the ground just a few weeks ago, no less. I hope you learned a valuable lesson from this near miss.” He patted Kuroo on the shoulder and remounted his broom, gliding back down away from them. Kuroo passed him an unreadable look.

Oikawa dismounted and rushed to his captain, ghosting a thumb over his eyebrow which was no longer bleeding fully. He made a 'tch' sound and his fingers brushed gently across Kuroo's cheek, an intimate gesture that made Daichi feel short of air. Several screams of joy erupted from the stands behind them. Kuroo shooed his hands away, turning to the others and waving them off. They all followed his instruction without a moment of hesitation.

“Dai...” Suga stepped forward, his face lined with concern as he began to extend a hand to Daichi, but Kuroo stepped between them, towering over the Ravenclaw Chaser.

“Funny, I thought you'd traded in for a new Gryffindor model boyfriend, Suga-chan.” Despite the overly familiar moniker, Kuroo's voice was cold and hard. Suga recoiled from him, and with a final sympathetic look toward Daichi, he turned and went back to the stands. Kuroo turned his sharp golden gaze back to Daichi, as he still sat on the floor, back against the wall. He glanced back at the crowd who had mostly turned back toward the other Slytherins, with Oikawa waving and posing for his fans. The confident captain took two long strides and sank down to a crouch next to Daichi, his expression almost coolly threatening. Daichi knew he should thank him. He needed to. He stared at the ground and forced the bitter words past his lips.

“Thank you.” Warm, strong fingers gripped his chin, tilting his head to look into Kuroo's face. He felt his whole body tighten and his face flush with heat. Kuroo's usual smirk slid across his face, his closeness leaving Daichi breathless and frozen under the devious intent of his gaze.

“Well, I can't very well defeat you if you're lying in a bed in the infirmary.” His grip on Daichi's chin shifted so that he held his jaw with rough fingers, angling his head back just slightly. A dark heat spread from where their skin connected. It wasn't the first time they had touched, but it was most certainly the most prolonged and most intimate. It made Daichi's breath hitch as Kuroo leaned forward, his mouth so close to Daichi's ear that his breath was hot against his skin, and Daichi thought he might combust.

“And I plan to pound you into the ground.” Certainly Kuroo had meant it as a threat. A perfectly reasonable, completely innocuous, sports rival threat. But his voice was so low and rumbling like a growl, his heated breath caressing Daichi's ear, his fingers tight around his jaw. And goddamnit, if that single sentence didn't shoot white hot sensation directly to Daichi's dick. Was Kuroo just playing with him? Did he have any idea the power his words had over him? Images he'd fought to suppress poured through his mind, Kuroo shoving him against a wall, Kuroo bending him over the bathroom sink, Kuroo laid out before him panting and aching...his mind betrayed him in every sense. Even his eyes drank hungrily at the Slytherin's exposed throat, the peak of collar bone just visible from the gap through the open top buttons of his shirt. Daichi's heart raged against his chest and he prayed that Kuroo couldn't hear it. Suga had been right. He'd been right about everything.

Kuroo pulled away with a triumphant smile, his fingertips seeming to linger at Daichi's chin. His smooth confidence seemed to falter for a moment as Daichi looked up at him, unable to fully hide the simmering lust that was flooding his bloodstream. His face always betrayed him. Kuroo seemed to almost fumble picking up his broom and then shot into the air without a backward glance. Daichi needed to leave. He needed to get out of there before anyone happened to notice the strain against the front of his pants. He untucked his shirt so it fell over his crotch and he slinked down the stairs, hunched over slightly.

Fuck. This was so much worse than he had thought. How was he going to manage this? He rubbed at his temples. The image of those golden eyes burned into him and a thought occurred to him.

If Suga had been right about him all along, was there a chance that his insinuation about Kuroo had also been correct? It was too much to process at the moment. He needed to just focus on putting one foot in front of the other until he made it back to the dorm. Mind blank and body screaming, he trudged back to the Gryffindor common room, for once thankful that the space was empty. It was shaping up to be a long week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want you all to know, the first idea I put forth for the title of this fic was "The Quidd-itch You Can't Scratch" and beauxxxtiful_lies vetoed it. Rude. XD


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same CW here that we had on the last chapter. Mention of a minor injury/blood, nothing too serious.
> 
> Happy reading <3

Kuroo landed his broom, feet touching down lightly in the soft grass. He followed his team off the field, casting one last glance toward the now mostly empty viewing platform, eyes scanning the stands despite knowing the one outline he searched for was long gone. 

He scoffed, a soft _‘tsk’_ slipping past his lips as he turned back, his fingers tightening around his broom as he trailed after his team. Not in all his time as Captain had Kuroo had a practice go that terribly. Not that the team had done poorly; outside of Kyoutani’s mishap early on with the bludger they had all done quite well. The younger members were showing real development, and he was proud of how far they had come. Their flying was always exceptional, and they’d needed only minor instruction during the passing and dodging drills. But he definitely owed his fellow seventh years for today’s success. Especially Oikawa and Iwaizumi. The two had been on the team just as long as he had, and both were well equipped to lead, stepping in without hesitation to pick up any slack that their Captain let slide. 

He’d tried so hard to regroup, to concentrate on the drills and on shouting out directions to the team, but he just couldn’t _focus._ Despite the action going on in front of him, his thoughts kept drifting back...back to _him_. He felt so scrambled; when he’d spotted Sawamura in the stands he’d felt a rush of elation strike him that set his heart thrumming in his chest. Daichi was obviously trying to stay hidden, but even with his hood drawn up over his head Kuroo knew him in an instant—of course he did. 

_‘I would recognize him anywhere,’_ he thought. 

He raised a hand to his throbbing brow; _shit,_ maybe he had hit his head harder than he thought. It did hurt, and it stunned him when he had reached up to find blood trickling down past his eye. Stunned him almost as much as the realization that one second he’d been hovering in the air, and the next he was practically sitting in his rival’s lap, heart pounding and head spinning as deep brown eyes gaped at him—wide, honest eyes. 

His heart stuttered at the memory. He hadn’t weighed the options, hadn’t taken time to consider, he had just _reacted._ It was what anyone would have done. Except...when he thought about it, no one else had reacted that way. How had he even known that Daichi had moved to the landing? How had his body known to launch forward at that exact moment?How long had he been watching the other boy—senses tuned to him, leading him back to Daichi without fail, the way the needle of a compass inescapably draws to the north.

He had been watching though. He remembered the irrational anger he felt when he spotted Sawamura with his back to the field. Anger tinged with something else he wasn’t comfortable putting a name to, the thought of which made his skin crawl. “Don’t you dare take your eyes off me,” he wanted to say, and he could just imagine the look that would get him—determined eyes, so full and open and wanting. 

Iwaizumi clamped a firm hand over his shoulder, bringing Kuroo back to his senses. “Good job today, Captain.” Kuroo’s heart clenched, and he crinkled his nose, ready to rebuff Iwaizumi’s praise, but something in his tone made him pause; it occurred to him then that Hajime wasn’t talking about the drills. “You sure you’re okay?” 

Kuroo hummed in response, hoping that it sounded a lot more convincing to Iwaizumi than it did to his own ears. He looked up at his friend and caught just the hint of a smile before Hajime gave his shoulder a squeeze and stepped under the overhang to follow the team into the locker room. 

Kuroo followed a few steps behind, and was again startled out of his thoughts when a figure stepped forward out of the shadows, black robes settling around him like a dark fog collected at his feet. It was none other than Professor Washijo, Charms teacher, and Slytherin Head of House.

Despite his small stature, he was a man who inspired fear in his students; his violent outbursts had earned him the moniker “Devil Professor.” He was a traditionalist; strict and uncompromising. Washijo mostly left Kuroo to his own devices when it came to leading the Quidditch team, and any discussions they had about management of the team had taken place in his office. He had never come to the pitch personally.

Kuroo’s heart sank as he was beckoned forward with one bony finger. 

“Kuroo...”

He cleared his throat, folding his hands behind his back, “Sir.”

“Explain yourself.” 

Kuroo tried not to flinch at the harsh tone, and took a steady breath in. “The team performed well today. We should be more than ready for the Gryffindor match this week, I’m sure you’d agree.” 

“Mmm...I’m sure. You’ve done a fine job as Captain.” He folded his own hands behind his back, and pinned Kuroo with an icy gaze. 

“Thank you, sir.”

His thick eyebrows pinched together in a threatening scowl that sent a chill down Kuroo’s spine. “There may not be much time left before you graduate, but the next time I catch you pulling a stunt like that I will see to it that it is your last day as Captain. If you’re going to sacrifice yourself it had better be for someone on your own team, and it had better be for a _damned_ good reason.” 

Kuroo took a faltering step backward, jolting like he’d been slapped across the face. Even he didn’t quite understand why his body had reacted that way in the moment, but when he saw that bludger flying toward the stands, everything about it felt like the right thing to do. His mind raced and he stumbled over his words, “A...good reason? But he...he could have died!”

“Yes, how noble of you,” Washijo drawled, sounding bored. “You’re a Slytherin. Start acting like it.” 

At that, Washijo spun on his heel and stalked away leaving Kuroo standing alone and dumbstruck. 

* * *

When Kuroo finally slipped into the locker room he was surprised to find most of his team still lingering there—showered, and in various stages of undress. They were stalling...and the feeling in the room was tense. _‘Shit, they had to have overheard.’_ He crossed the room, avoiding eye contact as he stripped off his robes. 

Akaashi broke the silence, “So...are we going to talk about what happened out there, Kuroo-san?”

“Nothing happened.” Kuroo mumbled into his open locker, stuffing his dirtied clothes in and digging through his bag for a clean shirt. Normally, he prided himself on being able to keep a level head, but the fear hanging over him after his conversation with Washijo left him feeling off-center and defensive in a way he hadn’t felt before. 

“Oh, don’t give us that bullshit, Kuroo,” Oikawa snapped behind him. 

He slammed his locker door closed, spinning toward his teammate with eyes blazing. “Fine! What do you want to talk about, Oikawa? Want to talk about why it suddenly feels like everyone thinks I’m terrible for saving someone’s life, or about how Washijo just threatened to take Captain away from me for not letting Daichi get his head bashed in!?” Kuroo shouted at him, furious, his normal smirk replaced with a vicious snarl. He clenched his fists, trying to get a grip on the anger rattling through his veins as the words erupted from him unfiltered.

“Well, maybe he’s right,” Oikawa shouted back, looking just as irate as he took two long strides in Kuroo’s direction.

“Tooru!” Iwaizumi barked, stepping between them and shooting his boyfriend a warning glare, stopping him with a firm palm placed flat over his breastbone. 

“No, I’ve had it!” Iwaizumi stopped his advance, but couldn’t stop the venom that Oikawa directed over his shoulder at Kuroo. “Do you realize what could have happened? If you were just a second too slow, and that bludger had hit _you?_ If your head had hit the pole instead of crashing into him? What were you thinking, Kuroo? If you had just let the stupid bludger hit him then—” Oikawa’s voice cracked. 

“Then what, Tooru!?” Kuroo shouted over Iwaizumi’s shoulder, interrupting Oikawa in his diatribe. “Is that really how you want to win?” He watched him deflate a bit at the question, and rounded on the rest of his team, “Is that how any of you want to win? I thought you were all better than that. What’s the point in beating them if we’re not going to beat them at their best?”

Akaashi was the only one to meet his eye. The rest of the team looked away, shifting uncomfortably. 

“You’re severely underestimating them if you think Gryffindor will fall apart without their Captain. This isn’t about ‘beating them at their best,’ and you know it,” Oikawa countered from behind him, no longer yelling, but his voice carried an edge to it that tore at Kuroo’s resolve. 

“Then what _is_ it about? Hmm? Enlighten me,” He ran a hand through his hair with a heavy sigh. 

“Kuroo-san, why did you save Sawamura-san?” Akaashi asked taking a step toward him, his tone calm and patient, devoid of accusation or blame. 

“I already told you why,” Kuroo bit back, but his words carried no fire. 

Oikawa rolled his eyes, “Well then maybe you do have a concussion, because you’re clearly not thinking straight.” 

Across the room Tsukishima shrugged the strap of his bag onto his shoulder muttering, “Pretty sure it wasn’t _straight_ thinking that got him into this situation.”

Kuroo balked while Iwaizumi tried to regain control over the room. “Oi!” Hajime snapped his fingers, pointing at his kouhai before jerking his thumb toward the door, “Out!” Tsukishima slipped his headphones on over his ears with a smirk as he made his way toward the exit with Kyoutani hot on his heels looking relieved at the dismissal. 

“Is that really what you all think? What, that I have a...a _crush_ on him?”

Akaashi stepped forward, “It doesn’t matter what we think, Kuroo-san.”

Oikawa scoffed, running a hand through his perfectly coiffed hair. “Aka-chan, hasn’t he already made that painfully clear?” he said in an irritating sing-song voice. Without waiting for a reply Oikawa slammed his locker closed, and stomped out through the door. 

Kuroo sank down onto one of the benches spanning the length of the room. He propped his elbows on his knees, and cradled his throbbing head in his hands. “What the fuck just happened?” 

Iwaizumi sighed, sinking down next to him and nudging him gently with his elbow, “Don’t worry about, Shittykawa. I’ll talk to him. He’s just...worried about you.” 

“So are we, Kuroo-san,” Akaashi crouched down in front of him and hooked one elegant finger under his chin to tilt his face gently upward. “No matter what Professor Washijo says, we’re proud of you for what you did today. And we don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to, but...just think about what I asked you.” He stared into Kuroo’s eyes for a moment before letting his hand drop away, and with that he left, quietly collecting his things and slipping through the door. 

“Shouldn’t you be consoling your boyfriend right now instead of me?” He hadn’t meant to sound so harsh, but as soon as the words left Kuroo’s lips he wished he could pull them back. He felt Iwaizumi tense beside him. 

“Listen, asshole,” Iwaizumi said through clenched teeth, “You’re not my...boyfriend. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care about what happens to you. Idiot. Now will you shut up and let me take a look at that eyebrow?” 

Kuroo turned toward Iwaizumi who lifted one hand to skim across his forehead. The collision had left a shallow gash just above the arch of his left brow. Although it had stopped bleeding it still looked swollen and angry. Iwaizumi traced the tips of his fingers over the edge of purple coloring the skin over his eye. “No one is mad about what you did, you know,” he muttered as he inspected Kuroo’s injured eye. 

“Sure about that? Oikawa seemed pretty mad.” 

“You scared the shit out of us, Tetsu.” Iwaizumi slid his palm down, cupping the side of Kuroo’s face as he smoothed the pad of his thumb over his cheekbone. He may have been known around the castle for his gruff voice and intimidating scowl, but behind closed doors he was different—softer. 

Kuroo swallowed hard. “You don’t have to worry about me, but...I’m sorry,” he said, unable to speak any louder than a whisper with bright green eyes boring into him. They were both jarred by a soft “ahem” from across the room where Terushima leaned back against the lockers with his arms crossed over his bare chest. Iwaizumi snatched his hand back from Kuroo’s cheek like it had burned him, flexing his fingers as he propelled himself away from the bench. And maybe it had, if the heat in his own face and the blush echoed on Hajime’s cheeks was anything to go by. 

Hajime cleared his throat, slinging his bag over one shoulder, “Come find me later and I’ll give you a draught to help with the headache.” Kuroo hummed an affirmative, and Iwaizumi left without a second glance in his or Terushima’s direction. 

“Seems like everyone wants a piece of you, Captain.”

“Says the man still lurking in the locker room.” Kuroo stood from the bench, suddenly very aware that he had abandoned his search for a shirt. He buried his head in his locker digging through his bag, “What is it that you want, Yuuji?”

“First off, leaning against my own locker doesn’t count as lurking just because you forgot I was here. Second, after all that...it really seems like you should be the one answering that question.” Terushima approached Kuroo from behind, slowly winding his hands around his waist as he spoke and pressing his chest against Kuroo’s back. “So, how ‘bout it, babe? What do you want?”

Kuroo squeezed his eyes closed as a flood of images poured into his mind—wide brown eyes sparkling with fear, and confusion, and desire; cheeks dusted with blush, a broad heaving chest beneath him, lush parted lips he felt desperate to sink his teeth into. Suddenly the pieces clicked into place. _Fuck._ They were right. It wasn’t just a rivalry with Sawamura. He _wanted_ him. He wanted him so, _so_ bad. 

Terushima used his grip on Kuroo’s hips to turn him, and press his back into the row of lockers. “I know what you want, Kuroo—who you want,” he slid his knee up between Kuroo’s thighs—the way Daichi had when he shifted underneath him, and his breath caught in his throat, “and I can help you forget.”

Kuroo gasped despite himself. Forget? Did he want to forget? Terushima ran his hands up Kuroo’s stomach, tracing the divots in his abdominals, and he raised his knee higher to grind into Kuroo’s groin. 

“Oho ho, and how do you plan to do that, Yuuji?”

“Well, for starters, you could take me into that shower and pound me into the tile.” Yuuji grinned, flashing Kuroo a glimpse of his tongue ring through his teeth. 

_‘I plan to pound you into the ground.’_

Kuroo growled at the memory, hooking his fingers through Terushima’s belt loops to pull their hips together. Gods, why had he said that—even more shocking were the embers smoldering in Daichi’s gaze as he leaned back from his ear. It took everything he had to pry his fingers off his chin and fly away—how had he not realized in that moment? Kuroo ducked his head, capturing Yuuji’s lips in a hungry kiss, thrusting his tongue into his open mouth and then biting at his lower lip as he pulled away. “I’ve had a really, really rough day. Want me to show you how rough?” Kuroo teased as he pulled away. 

Terushima was already short of breath, his pupils blown wide as he gazed up at Kuroo. “Fuck me up...Captain.” 

He was on Terushima in an instant, flipping their positions and pressing his lips against the other’s with such force that they slammed into the bank of lockers, rattling the doors and forcing the air from Yuuji’s lungs. Kuroo gripped Yuuji around his thighs, hoisting him up off the floor to wrap his legs around his waist, and Terushima threw his arms over his shoulders. The small keening sounds he made in the back of his throat went straight to Kuroo’s dick, and Yuuji only moaned louder when he felt it twitch against his hip.

He rolled his hips against Yuuji’s, throwing his head back as he shuddered against him. Yuuji took the opportunity to drag his tongue along the sweat-salted muscles of Kuroo’s neck, sucking and biting at the sensitive flesh there.

“Fuck, Kuroo,” Terushima gasped into his ear as Kuroo dug his fingertips into his thighs and rolled his hips against him again. But it wasn’t Terushima’s voice bouncing around his skull, it was Daichi’s. _‘What the fuck, Kuroo?’_ His words from earlier echoed in his ears. 

“Yuuji... _fuck._ Yuuji, I can’t.” Kuroo said through gasping breaths. “I can’t do this.” He lowered Terushima’s legs to the floor, but Yuuji kept his arms wrapped around him, holding him close. Kuroo dropped his head forward, mumbling into his shoulder, “I...I don’t think I want to forget.”

“Shit—you really do like him, huh?”

Kuroo groaned, not even bothering to deny it, and Yuuji chuckled into his hair. “Hey, why don’t you just come to bed with me?”

He pulled back narrowing his eyes suspiciously. 

Not like that, you idiot. Just to sleep. I mean...I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with this,” he said looking down at the prominent bulge between them. “But I’m afraid if you go back to your dorm Oikawa might suffocate you with a pillow in your sleep.”

They separated with just a hint of reluctance on Terushima’s part. Kuroo brought his hand to the back of his neck, looking away awkwardly, “Yeah...sorry about that. I’ll be fine though.” 

_‘I’ll take my chances,’_ he thought. With his mind racing the way it was he wasn’t likely to get much sleep anyway. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These Slytherin boys have _a lot_ of feelings, y’all.
> 
> ♡ ♡ ♡


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW, this is our 'accidental voyeurism' chapter. If that squicks you out, go ahead and stop reading at the bolded ' **He just had to drop off this bag first.** ' and pick back up again at ' **He felt like he was very nearly on fire as he flung himself down the hall.** '
> 
> Hope you all enjoy! <3

Daichi woke early the next day, forcing the electric buzz from yesterday's events to quiet in the back of his mind. Today would be their last practice before the big game with the Slytherins and he needed to make the most of it. He pulled the last few items from his dresser and shoved them into a bag before hurrying from his room.

He'd learned over the last two years that making his way down to the locker rooms at some point before practice with the extra items always made things go more smoothly. His list had just continued to increase to meet every player's weird needs. A headband for Michimiya to keep her bangs out of her eyes, and extra scarf because Ennoshita always forgot his. A bag of beef jerky to appease Nishinoya, who always forgot to eat lunch and needed the protein to fuel his boisterous energy. A potion for Hinata's nervous stomach. And, of course, a handful of pillow-pop charms for when the Tanakas inevitably came to blows. They were currently both sporting a crush on the same girl, the Ravenclaw team captain, Shimizu Kiyoko and their sibling rivalry had reached a boiling point about it.

He went over the day's plan in his head, over and over again, like a mantra to keep a boggart at bay. Still, he paled at the thought of what such a beast might reveal about him at the moment. The dark silhouette of the Slytherin captain remained pressed against his mind like his own shadow. He shook his head with frustration.

As he rounded the corner leading back to the locker rooms, he saw two of the Slytherin players making their way toward him. Oikawa and Iwaizumi had devious smirks on their faces as their eyes nearly twinkled at each other, their fingers interlaced. It made Daichi smile. Despite the roar of Oiwaka's fanbase, the two were most definitely together.

As Oikawa looked up, his expression shifted entirely. His brows drew together tight, nostrils flaring, as his teeth clenched with unveiled ferocity. Daichi's steps faltered. He'd never seen the beautiful Chaser look so feral. Iwaizumi grabbed the front of his shirt and moved him to his other side so that the prefect stood between them as they approached. Oikawa flipped his wand up into his hand and Iwaizumi placed a firm hand over his wrist that held it.

Daichi just stared at them bewildered. There had always been a playful clash between him and the Slytherin team, but Oikawa radiated a violent aura of malice that made him shiver. He started to reach for his own wand on impulse.

“Keep moving, Daichi-san,” Iwaizumi commanded. Daichi gripped the strap of the bag more firmly and hurried away. As he passed them, he saw that Iwaizumi's fist was white knuckled around Oikawa's slender wrist. Oikawa bore into him with his vicious scowl as he passed.

“Dai-chan.” Oikawa's lilting voice cut through the air and Iwaizumi growled at him in warning. Daichi glanced over his shoulders, just barely catching the gaze of those cutting, brown eyes. “Be careful out there today. It would be such a shame if any of your teammates were to get hurt.”

“Tooru!” Iwaizumi reprimanded, but Daichi had turned to pass the Slytherin idol a dark look.

“You planning to aim a few more Bludgers our way?” he challenged and Oikawa's pupils shrank to pinpoints, the veins bulging in his neck. Iwaizumi stepped in front of him.

“That's _my_ job, Daichi-san. And while we appreciate the points your foolishness got us yesterday, next time try to pay attention. Our captain shouldn't have to play hero to clueless bystanders.” His tone was dark and sharp as a knife, despite his calm presence. He turned and pulled Oikawa with him, one last _cruciatus_ glare leveled at him by the idol. He blinked after them in confusion.

Had Kuroo been hurt worse than he let on in their collision? He couldn't possibly think what else could cause such an intense reaction in the two Slytherins. Iwaizumi was an upstanding prefect and had always divorced himself from the banter, but his words just now had been laced with threat. Surely, even if something had happened to Kuroo, they wouldn't take it out on his team. He needed to find out if Kuroo was really okay. He needed to know right now. **He just had to drop off this bag first.**

With his mind spinning at maximum velocity, he was fully in the locker room by the time he realized their were voices. The main room was dark, only the bank of lights from the cordoned-off showers casting a dim illumination over the room. He stopped, hearing a ragged breath and a groan. Shit, had Oikawa and Iwaizumi beaten someone up?

“A-akaashi, wait...” Just before his brain kicked into gear as defender, his feet rooted to the spot. That voice. It was...Bokuto's?

“If I wait, we would just be here longer, Bokuto-san.” The smooth voice of the Slytherin Seeker moved like silk through the darkness and Daichi felt himself shiver. He stepped lightly, as quietly as possible toward the edge of the locker bank, easing the bag down as quietly as he could.

“B-but, someone could walk in...any moment...” Daich peeked around the edge of the lockers, trying to stay as hidden as he could. A little voice screamed in his mind that he should just leave, as quickly as possible, but he had to know. His body would not allow him to move until he saw what was happening.

In the low light, he saw that Bokuto's back was to him as he stood in front one of the long benches that took up the middle of the room. His head was angled down, toward another figure who was seated in front of him, undoubtedly Akaashi. Bokuto's wizard robe had slipped to the floor and his white button down shirt had been untucked, one of Akaashi's hands pushing it up to reveal the jut of his hip and his lower abs. Akaashi leaned back, his sultry eyes peering up at Bokuto as the edge of his pink tongue ran between his lips. Daichi's pulse began to quicken.

“Do you want me to stop, Bokuto-san?” Bokuto let out a thin whine, but no words made it through. Akaashi's lips twitched just the tiniest amount before he dragged his tongue along one of the curves of Bokuto's abdominals. The slow sound of a zipper being undone filled the silence. Daichi let out a shaking breath.

Akaashi leaned back again slowly, and his eyes moved over to where Daichi was watching. Icy terror jolted through him as the Seeker's eyes met his. Oh god. He'd seen him! Fuck! If he called him out now, the shame would be brutal, caught being a voyeur to his friend. But to his surprise, Akaashi bit his lip seductively, maintaining eye contact as he spoke to the Hufflepuff captain again, close enough to let his breath play across his skin.

“Because you know, all you have to do is say the word 'stop,' and I will.” One of Bokuto's hands combed through his dark hair.

“I know, I know...” Bokuto leaned his head back and Akaashi raised one eyebrow at Daichi. Then, he watched, transfixed with tension, as Akaashi released Bokuto's ample erection from his pants and ran his tongue slowly along its length. Bokuto groaned, running his hands over his face.

There was only a moment of confusion before Daichi realized: he was actually part of this now. Akaashi had seen him, but instead of stopping, he had pushed it even further. Even now his eyes would glance back to Daichi every few seconds, as began to suck languidly at Bokuto's cock, sinking his delicate lips over it and humming around the shaft. He wanted to be watched.

Watching Akaashi work Bokuto over in conjunction with his handsome friend's panting breaths and stifled moans was beginning to have a notable affect on Daichi. He pulled back from the view of the two, trying desperately to catch his breath in the quietest way possibly.

“Ah, fuck, Akaashi. Your mouth...” There was lewd suction sound that ended with a bit of a pop, and he imagined Akaashi pulling back.

“Is there anything else you want, Bokuto-san? Maybe, if you're good, you can have it.”

Daichi pushed from the lockers, trying his best to stay quiet but finally heeding the little voice telling him that he needed to get the fuck out of there. He would never unsee that visual or unhear those luscious words falling from Akaashi's lips. He knew already that they would reemerge at some point when he sought to relieve his own pent up sexual frustrations.

**He felt like he was very nearly on fire as he flung himself down the hall.** He was already several hurried steps along it when he looked up and came to face to face with the glittering golden stare of his rival. The sleeves of Kuroo's robe were rolled up to his elbows, revealing strong forearms with his hands shoved into his pockets. His tie was loose, barely peaking above the V of his sweater and he had the top button of his shirt undone. Kuroo stood frozen to the spot, his eyes darting quickly around the room and Daichi slowed his own advance. He looked, for just a split second, like...he wanted to run. Daichi sympathized with the feeling. But, within the blink of an eye, the Slytherin captain's expression hardened into his usual cool and confident sneer.

“What the hell are you doing down here this early, Sawamura?” Kuroo casually closed the distance between them, his eyebrow arching up under his tussled bangs. Now, Daichi could clearly see the bright bruise that fell over his exposed eyebrow, a single butterfly bandage placed over the little cut. It was eight kinds of unfair that he looked so good with an injury, like a freaking rough and tumble bad boy. All he needed were scuffs on his knuckles and a tattoo and he would be a wet dream come to life.

“I was just...dropping off our stuff for later.” Daichi turned back toward the locker room, swallowing. If Kuroo was down here, it meant he was heading for the locker room. Daichi could only imagine Bokuto's embarrassment if the Slytherin captain walked in on them. He had to stop him. “Why are you?”

“We got in a fight after practice and I left a bunch of shit in there. Princess Tooru is still pissed at me, so no one grabbed my stuff when they were just down here with Akaashi. He's being a drama queen.”

“Oh. Yeah, what's his deal? He seemed...pissed as hell when I passed by him and Iwaizumi-san earlier. I thought he was going to eat me alive.”

Kuroo's eyes dipped to the side, an unreadable expression crossing his face. It wasn't that they had never had a civil conversation. They'd had plenty in all the time they'd spent together. But there was a new quality to the space between them now and Daichi wasn't sure if it was just happening in his own brain because of his recent realizations, or if it was truly ricocheting the way he felt like it was.

“They're all kinda pissed because I bashed my head in saving your ass yesterday. Washijo chewed me up and spit me out about it. Threatened to kick me off the team.” Kuroo didn't look at him, kept his eyes trained on the floor. He looked oddly uncomfortable.

“Oh.” Kick him off the team? For helping someone in the stands? How backward. He'd gotten points for the house for doing it, even. For someone who took Quidditch as seriously as Kuroo did, that was a brutal threat. Pressure was building in him, telling Daichi he should say sorry, thank you, anything... “You're okay though, right? I was kind of worried, since they were so mad, that you might have been hurt worse than you thought.” Kuroo looked up at him, his eyes narrowing for just an instant as he searched Daichi's gaze.

“Yeah, m'fine. Looks worse than it is. Anyway, I should grab my stuff so I'm not late for class.” His hand opposite Daichi went to the back of his neck and he took a long stride to pass the Gryffindor captain. In a moment of panic, Daichi reached out and grabbed his arm, his fingers just brushing the warm skin of Kuroo's forearm, and his rival stopped, turning to look at him with wide eyes. He needed to say something, anything to keep him from the locker room.

“I'm sorry! For pushing you down that day. I don't even know why I did that, it was stupid.” Kuroo gave him a curious look and then looked down at where his hand rested on his arm. Daichi yanked it back gracelessly. Then Kuroo's gaze shifted to the locker rooms and back to Daichi's eyes.

“Hmm, I'd almost believe you if it weren't so apparent that you're trying to keep me out of the locker rooms. Now why would that be?” Kuroo mused to himself and Daichi felt the blush break over his face again. Fuck it. He should just tell him. He probably should have from the beginning.

“I am honestly sorry about that, but yeah. There's...let's just say the locker room is currently extremely occupied.” Daichi was staring at the floor but he could feel the shift in Kuroo's demeanor as the other boy faced him more fully and leaned in conspiratorially.

“Oh ho ho,” he whispered, in mock gossip, “I wonder who it could be? Considering the amount of stuff we all left in there last night, they must want to be caught.” His voice had dropped low and gravelly, his face leaning too close to Daichi's as the Gryffindor's panicked heart leaped around in his chest. His face was burning. “Maybe we should oblige their little fantasy.”

“Th-that's weird. And I've definitely seen enough.” Stinging regret caught him as Kuroo's eyes widened at his response, his grin curling upward.

“Oh, you already saw them, eh Sawamura? Is that why you're so cherry red? Your face almost matches your tie.” Much to Daichi's horror, Kuroo actually reached out and hooked his finger around Daichi's tie, pulling it free of the sweater. As he spoke, he ran the silken material through his thumb and index finger. “How long did you watch them, captain?”

“S-stop...” God, Kuroo was so close to him, his bright golden eyes trained on the red and gold material of the tie as he bit his bottom lip suggestively. Fuck, everything about him was so alluring, complicated further by the rich scent of his cologne. Daichi wanted...he wanted too many things that he couldn't allow himself to want in that moment. Or ever. Kuroo was just teasing him, had found an expert way to fluster him and was using it against him. It was so unfair how well it was working.

Kuroo shifted his grip up the the tie and pulled it tight, jerking Daichi toward him just a bit. The jolt of it moved like lightning in his veins, causing blood to rush lower and leave heat coiled in his abdomen. He clenched his teeth and blew a sharp breath out of his nose, but Kuroo just leaned closer, near his ear, still holding the tie taut.

“Did watching them make you hard, Sawamura?” Fuck. The answer was no, but he was pretty sure he couldn't prove it now. A low growl escaped from Daichi's throat and he grabbed hold of Kuroo's sweater, fisting the fabric tight in one hand.

“Don't play this fucking game with me, Tetsurou” Kuroo pulled back from him just a bit, still bent forward because of his grip on Kuroo's shirt. He snickered, flashing a provocative look at Daichi.

“What game would that be, Dai-chan?” He mimicked Oikawa's higher voice, his lips hovering close enough that Daichi couldn't pull his eyes away from them.

“You won't win.”

“I always win.”

Something snapped inside Daichi. Kuroo's cocky fucking face, beautiful and terrible, taunting him and egging him on. He was right, he did always win. He won the Quidditch games, he got Daichi in trouble, he won their arguments and standoffs with his cutting retorts and cool head. Well now, he was playing gay chicken with the guy who had literally dreamed of doing everything to him. So fuck him.

The motion felt like nothing, a small tightening of his bicep that yanked Kuroo forward just a few inches. Daichi leaned in to meet him. When their lips met, it sent shockwaves crashing through Daichi like a bomb blast. It wasn't romantic, as they clanked together gracelessly, but he worked his mouth over Kuroo's, feeling his lips part in surprise. Everything in his body screamed to run his hands along the other boy's jaw and into his hair, to tear at his clothes, to force his teeth apart so he could lick into his mouth....but he fought it all back. He felt his tie go slack and then pulled back, turning away from him without looking and stomping off down the hall.

Oh god. Oh god, what had he done? Had something so incredibly stupid ever bypassed his behavioral filter before? No. Nothing. His life was probably over. Fuck. At least he didn't have class with him until the afternoon. FUUUUUCK.


	6. Chapter 6

Kuroo barely slept that night after the fight in the locker room. He waited as long as possible, lingering in the Slytherin common area until every last person had tucked away their study materials and gone to bed. He found Iwaizumi awake and reading by wandlight when he slipped quietly into their shared room. Luckily, Oikawa was already asleep. Kuroo smiled fondly at the pile of limbs; he definitely didn’t look as threatening when he was starfished across his mattress and drooling into the pillow.

On socked feet Kuroo quietly crossed the room, shedding his robe and shirt, and donning a well-worn pair of flannel sleep pants. 

“Here,” Iwaizumi whispered softly. He offered Kuroo a small vial of liquid, “Something to help your head.” 

“Thanks,” he muttered in reply before downing the tonic in one quick swallow, missing the way Iwaizumi’s eyes raked across his bare chest. Iwaizumi motioned for him to sit, and they both sank down onto the mattress side-by-side, knees touching as he cleaned and dressed Kuroo’s wound in the low light from the window above them. His fingers traced the bruise again, like he had earlier in the locker room, pausing to hover over his cheekbone. 

“Kuroo, I...” There was an odd look in his eye. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it just as quickly, exhaling a sigh through his nose. 

“I’ve been thinking about what you guys said earlier.”

An unreadable expression passed across Iwaizumi’s face as he dropped his hand away from Kuroo’s cheek. “That’s...ah..that’s good.”

“Iwaizumi...” Kuroo fought a grimace as he quirked his injured brow. “How did you know that you loved Oikawa? When did you realize it was...more?” 

Hajime sighed heavily, “I don’t know how to explain it, I just...know. I think that a part of me has always known.” He shifted subtly away from Kuroo as he leaned back on his hands. “Gods, that sounds so stupid.” Kuroo huffed a quiet laugh as Hajime looked toward Tooru’s sleeping form. “I think sometimes it’s like that though—from the first moment you just _know._ Sometimes it takes longer,” he turned back toward Kuroo. “You just have to be willing to listen to what that little part of you is saying.”

“Hmm. And then what?”

Hajime shrugged his shoulders, “Then you decide if it’s worth listening to.”

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the steady sound of Tooru’s breath across the room. The mattress creaked as Hajime curled forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “You know...at first...the sorting hat wanted to put me in Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw. But I begged it not to. I _begged_ to be put into Slytherin, because I knew that’s where Tooru would be. Not even that idiot knows that.” 

He was quiet then, Kuroo watched the rise and fall of his shoulders as he took a steadying breath in and out. “You don’t get to choose who you love, but for those people...for the people I love...” He looked at Kuroo then, brow furrowed and eyes serious, “I would do anything for them. _That’s_ how I know.” 

Hajime braced his hands on his knees, standing slowly from the bed. He took one step, and hesitated for a moment before turning back, “If you breathe a word of this conversation to him you’re both dead.” 

Kuroo grinned up at him. “Hajime, I’d never,” he gasped. “For real though...thanks. I...think that helped.” 

“Goodnight, Kuroo.” 

Kuroo lay awake long after Hajime’s breaths had slowed to match Oikawa’s. He couldn’t stop going over every interaction and exchange with Daichi that he could remember. The more he thought about it the more he was convinced that whatever this was between him and Daichi, it wasn’t one-sided.

He recalled heated exchanges laced with innuendo, glances lingering over stretches of bare skin, cheeks dusted with pink. When he closed his eyes he could see Daichi swipe his tongue slowly over his lower lip, gaze fixed on Kuroo’s mouth like he was planning out exactly how he’d like to take him apart. But how much of that was real, and how much of it was just Kuroo’s lust-addled brain filling in the blanks with pent up desire? 

That wasn’t all though. There was definitely something different about the way Daichi treated him—the way he looked at him. But something about the feeling in his chest terrified Kuroo. This didn’t just feel like an attraction; this felt like an addiction. A bone-deep ache. A hunger that demanded to be fed, and wouldn’t just be sated by a few stolen minutes in a dark corner of the castle. It was unfamiliar, and all-consuming, and he realized with no small amount of horror that it had been that way for some time.

Hours later he lay under his quilt, pretending to sleep as he listened to Iwaizumi and Oikawa prepare for the day. Kuroo knew he was going to have to trek down to the stadium to retrieve the rest of his things from the locker room. In his confusion and frustration the night before he had forgotten books and notes that he’d need for his afternoon classes today, but he also knew better than to confront Oikawa so soon after an argument. It would have to wait until they cleared out.

He rolled out of bed as soon as he heard their voices echo away down the hall toward the common room, dressing and raking his fingers through his messy hair before he set off for the stadium. 

_I like Sawamura,_ he thought, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets as he made his way across campus. _I really like him,_ he let a small ‘tsk’ slip past his lips; even that admission didn’t feel like the full truth. Not that it mattered anyway. They were supposed to be enemies. They were team captains of the longest standing rivalry at Hogwarts, for gods’ sake. They couldn’t be together. Fuck—why did this have to happen now, right before the big game? Everything hinged on this moment, and he couldn’t stop thinking about goddamn Sawamura.

He rounded a corner near the locker rooms, and froze when he looked up to find a clearly flustered Daichi stomping toward him. Daichi’s gaze flicked up and he halted when his eyes locked on Kuroo’s, looking just as confused about what he was doing there...almost like he’d been walking down another corridor across campus and Kuroo’s thoughts had transported him here.

“What the hell are you doing down here so early, Sawamura?” Kuroo barely registered Daichi’s response, or the next words that poured out of his own mouth. The longer Daichi stood there, the more he looked like he wanted to be anywhere _but there._ That thought settled miserably in the pit of his stomach. 

Even so, Kuroo heard himself answering his questions with shockingly truthful responses. Why was he telling him these things about what happened with his team and his friends? And why would Daichi even care to ask? It’s not like _they_ were friends, they were enemies in fact. They’d done nothing but antagonize each other for years. Sure they were capable of civil conversation, but it was always under the veil of their rivalry. It was _always_ about competition. It was never like this...this felt different. 

“You’re okay though, right? I was kind of worried...” 

Kuroo flicked his eyes up to Daichi’s, scanning his face for any signs of deception. What he found in the depths of those eyes made his heart flutter in his chest. Daichi was worried...about him?

No, he had to be overthinking it. His brain was playing tricks on him—a side effect of whanging his head and then staying up all night worrying. Daichi doesn’t care about him. This is the same guy that pushed him in the dirt. The same guy who’s had his hands twisted in Kuroo’s robes countless times, red faced and sneering like he was seconds away from punching his lights out. Not that he didn’t deserve at least some of that hostility, but even so, if looks could kill Tetsurou would be a dead man a dozen times over. Daichi doesn’t care about him. 

He just had to get his stuff and get out of there. His team was going to beat Sawamura, and then he was going to never, _never_ think about this again. His friends were wrong. He was wrong. 

He tried to keep his usual cool grin, but he could feel all his emotions bleeding into his expression. The confusion, and the hurt, and the humiliation of thinking he’d have a shot with Daichi in the first place. Kuroo tried to make his escape, but Sawamura held him back with a hand on his forearm. Hope welled up in him, a bright insistent thing that blossomed from the heat of his touch to beat against his ribcage—until he turned back and saw Daichi’s eyes flit nervously toward the locker room. 

The locker room...just like that his heart sank. 

How could he be so stupid? 

He’d been right all along. This had nothing to do with Kuroo. Daichi was protecting someone...whoever was in the locker room. Well fine, _fuck him and his fake apologies,_ he thought bitterly. 

With surprising ease he felt himself lean into Daichi’s space. He watched Daichi’s face flush brighter, watched his eyes widen in surprise as he wrapped his fingers around his tie.

Daichi had made him feel so many things that Kuroo never asked for—things that Kuroo had successfully avoided until now. If this was how it was going to be then he was going to make sure Daichi felt just as confused—just as angry—just as wanting as he had made Kuroo. 

He all but purred as he leaned closer, “How long did you watch them, Captain?” Kuroo avoided his eye, afraid of what Daichi might find there if he looked too long. Instead he fixed his gaze on the satiny fabric between his fingertips, jerking it taught as his gaze shifted upward and settled on Daichi’s trembling lips.

“S-stop,” Daichi pleaded, but Kuroo didn’t stop. He laid it on thick, poking and prodding at Daichi, chipping away at his usual stoic resolve in record time. He poured all the emotions he had felt over the last 12 hours into his words, taking delight at watching Sawamura crumble to pieces. 

“Don’t play this fucking game with me, Tetsurou.” 

“Don’t fucking use my name like that, Dai-chan,” is what he wanted to say, but his actual reply came out much sweeter, if not entirely facetious. He briefly wondered if his team or his coach would think it more Slytherin of him if he were to goad Sawamura into actually punching him. The other Captain would most certainly be suspended, and then they’d have no problem mopping the pitch with the rest of the Gryffindors. Anything to win, right?

“You won’t win.” 

“I always win.”

Daichi pulled him forward by his collar and in the next breath they collided. Those plush lips pressed against his own, stealing his breath away as Daichi’s mouth moved over his. It was startling, and awkward, and unexpected, but for the briefest of moments the whole world went quiet. 

Kuroo’s arm hovered in the air between them. He tried to clutch at Sawamura’s tie, but the crimson and gold slipped through his fingers. 

_He...he kissed me..._

He blinked his eyes, watching as Sawamura fled down the hall—shoulders hunched, the back of his neck and tips of his ears flared bright red. Kuroo lifted his hand shakily to his lips. His heartbeat echoed Daichi’s rapid footfalls. 

_He kissed me..._

He had to do something, his brain screamed. He couldn’t just let him walk away. _He had to do something._ Kuroo tried to call out, but the words caught in his throat. He watched helplessly as Daichi disappeared around the corner. 

“Wha...wait,” he took a few faltering steps before his feet broke into a run. “Daichi, wait!”

He sprinted down the hall and skidded around the corner, but the corridor was empty. Daichi was already gone. 

Fuck. _Fuck!_ He had to find Iwaizumi and Oikawa. Even if they were still mad at him. They’d know what to do. 

* * *

Kuroo hurried back through the castle corridors. He was one turn away from the bare stretch of wall that held the entrance to the Slytherin dorms when, from the opposite direction, he heard a distinct “Ouch! Iwa-chan!”

He followed the voice down the hall, heading away from the dorms and toward a less trafficked area of the dungeons. He was about to step around the corner and call out to them until he heard Iwaizumi growl, “What the fuck was that, Shittykawa?” 

Kuroo crept quietly to the corner and peeked around. His friends were just a few paces away. Iwaizumi had slammed Oikawa back against the wall, bracing his forearm hard across his chest. His voice was low, but Iwaizumi’s words echoed perfectly over the curved stone ceiling of the corridor to where Kuroo stood. “You pulled your wand on him?! Do you have a single functioning brain cell left in your head? You could be expelled for that you _idiot,”_ he hissed through clenched teeth. “I’m a fucking prefect. You know I have to report you.”

Oikawa was frozen, pinned to the cold stone. Kuroo watched his eyes flash wide with fear and his mouth drop open, “What? B-but...Iwa-chan...”

What the hell? Kuroo held his breath, straining his ears to listen. Oikawa wasn’t that reckless. There’s no way he’d pull his wand on someone...and why? What could be worth sacrificing so much? After a few tense moments he watched Iwaizumi release him with a sigh and step back. “I’m not going to do that,” he heard him say, “but that means both our asses are on the line.” 

His next words were muffled. Kuroo watched Oikawa as he slumped against the wall. He could see his lips moving, but he couldn’t hear either one of them now that Hajime’s anger had fizzled. No point lingering here, and the longer he stayed the longer he risked being caught. He slowly backed away, making it only two steps before...

“Tooru, he doesn’t want to be with us!” 

“You don’t know that.” Kuroo froze mid-stride, steadying himself with one hand braced against the stone wall. Oikawa’s voice sounded thick. Almost like he was holding back tears. 

“Yes. I fucking do. He doesn’t love us Tooru, so just drop it,” Iwaizumi growled. He needed to go...turn around now and head back to the dorm. Whatever they were about to say wasn’t for him, but he was so overwhelmed he couldn’t force his feet to GO. 

“Why did it have to be him?” Tooru’s voice cracked as his throat constricted around the words. “If Kuroo was going to fall for someone why couldn’t it have been us?”

Kuroo clamped one hand over his mouth. Fuck—he never meant for this to happen. Now what was he supposed to do? He heard Hajime mumble something like “C’mere, idiot,” and the sob Oikawa muffled into his robes was enough to shake Kuroo out of his shock. He turned away, making his way as quietly as he could back toward the dorm. 

* * *

His morning classes passed by in a blur. It was lucky that his day started with History of Magic and Herbology. Distraction meant extra hours spent studying—very little risk of accidentally blowing something up or injuring a classmate. Not like his afternoon classes. He really needed to pull it together before then. 

How the hell he was supposed to do that was beyond him. He needed to talk to someone, but there was no way he could go to Iwaizumi or Oikawa about what happened with Daichi now. And after what he just heard how was he supposed to deal with them? He could talk to Akaashi, but it wouldn’t be fair to put his friend in the middle of it all. And Bokuto sometimes had great advice, but there was no way Kuroo could ask him to keep a secret from Akaashi. That wouldn’t be fair to either of them, and that could still wind-up putting Akaashi in the middle. No, there was only one person left that could help him figure this mess out. 

Kuroo dragged himself to the Great Hall and spotted Kenma in his usual spot amongst the Ravenclaws, sitting slightly away from the rest of the group. Bleached blonde hair framed his face as he focused very intently on a book he had spread out on the table in front of him. 

Kuroo dropped down boneless onto the bench beside him and laid his head on the tabletop with a _thunk._ “I’m such an idiot,” he groaned into the wooden surface.

Without diverting attention from his book Kenma quipped, “What’s new?” 

“Kenma, when did you become so cruel?” Kuroo turned his face toward him, but still looked like he was trying to melt into the wood grain. “I thought best friends were supposed to help each other in times of need.”

“I never agreed to that,” Kenma deadpanned, still focused on the materials in front of him. 

Kuroo snickered, “The best friend part, or the helpful part?”

Kenma shifted his gaze toward Kuroo. “Any of that,” he said in the same monotone voice, but the corner of his mouth quivered slightly, giving him away. He turned back to his book, “Are you gonna tell me the reason for my second-hand suffering or are you just here to mope?”

He considered his options briefly. There was no mistaking what he had heard in the hallway. His chest ached when he thought about the pain he heard in Oikawa’s voice, and he wondered how long they had kept the truth from him. 

“Oikawa and Iwaizumi are in love with me,” he mumbled miserably. 

“You really are an idiot.” 

Kuroo lifted his head from the table. “Kenma, I heard them say it. And there’s no way you could have known that. I didn’t know until just now.” 

With a sigh he closed his book and turned his attention fully to his friend. “Kuroo, you’ve been sleeping with them for the better part of a year.” At the surprised look on Kuroo’s face he added, “You’re sleeping with half your team.”

“What...how did you...? Not _half_ the team!” Kenma quirked an eyebrow skeptically. He quickly did the math in his head, “Oh...shit.” 

“So what’s the big deal? Just break things off with them.”

“The big deal is that we had rules that were supposed to prevent this. We were just supposed to be having fun, and we agreed to call things off if it got weird.” Kuroo pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes before running his hands up through his hair. “Look, no one was supposed to get hurt. _They’re_ the ones in a relationship,” he tugged frustratedly at his hair before letting his arms flop back down onto the table, “They’re not supposed to want me too.”

Judging by the flat look on his face, Kuroo was pretty sure that the next word out of Kozume’s mouth would be “idiot.” Instead he asked, “What do _you_ want, Kuroo?” 

There’s that fucking question again, he thought as he dropped his head down to rest on his forearms. “I don’t _know._ That’s the other problem. Those weren’t the only confessions I got today.” Kenma looked at him, both eyebrows raised in surprise. “Sa’amura...kissed me,” he mumbled. 

“Really?”

“I mean...he kind of punched my face with his face...but I was pushing his buttons. It wasn’t really a confession...and he fucking ran away. I don’t think he really meant it.” 

“Did you want him to mean it?”

Kuroo didn’t have to think about it, he already knew the answer. In all this mess the only thing that had made any sense was the brief moment where Daichi’s lips had pressed against his own. “Yes,” he whispered. 

“About time,” Kenma sighed, sounding relieved. 

“What? I don’t...understand what’s happening here.” 

“What’s happening here is that you’ve finally joined the rest of us in reality, Captain Oblivious, because _that_ was a confession whether you want to believe it or not.” Kenma stood from the table gathering his books into his arms. “Now. Figure out what you’re going to do about it.” 

Kuroo sighed heavily as he pressed his forehead into the table again. Kenma was right. He had kissed plenty of people. Fuck, just yesterday he had locked lips with Iwaizumi _and_ with Terushima. He was no stranger to kissing. But this was different, because Daichi didn’t just kiss anyone. He was the boyfriend type, not the friends-with-benefits type. Especially not the type of benefits Kuroo was usually after. 

The bell rang out signaling the end of the lunch hour, and Kuroo peeled himself up brushing a hand through his bangs as he composed himself. He could figure out what to do about Oikawa and Iwaizumi later. First he had to make it through Charms class...with Daichi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kuroo is _suffering_ , and I’ll bet dear Daichi isn’t faring much better. I, for one, can’t wait to get to Charms class.
> 
> Thanks for reading!! 
> 
> If you’re enjoying it Cat and I would love to hear what you think! (Feel free to shout about the iwaoikuro mess...I still can’t believe I did this..)
> 
> ♡ ♡ ♡


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who's ready for Charms class? 
> 
> Certainly not Daichi, lol. Fyi, the spell in this chapter is totally made up.

Daichi's heart pounded at his pulse points as he collapsed into the chair at the front of the class. Charms consisted of two-student tables and the back always filled up first. He had a couple friends in the class who usually sat with him, and if he sat at the front, he wouldn't have to even look at Kuroo for the whole class. It would be fine. It would be totally fine.

His morning classes had flown by in a blur and he scarcely remembered a bit about them. His friends had chatted with him, but he had no recollection about what. His mind kept going over and over that moment when their lips had met, trying to will it into oblivion with all of his might. Few regrets had weighed so heavily on him in his 18 years of life.

As he pulled his book from his satchel, he noticed Professor Washijo watching him carefully. The seat next to him filled, making him jump, the book tumbling to the ground.

“Oh no! Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!” Michimiya's kind face filled his vision and he breathed out a sigh of relief.

“Ah, it's fine Yui. You ready for practice tonight? Last one before before the big game.” As he reached down and lifted the book from the floor, he couldn't keep his eyes from glancing back over the room. Kuroo was already seated at the back, next to Akaashi. As if he'd felt Daichi's gaze, his eyes shifted over to him, making the Gryffindor captain sit up too quickly and face forward in a rush, smacking his book on the edge of the desk loudly. He felt his face flush in embarrassment.

“Uh...are you okay? You look like you might have a fever or something and you're a little...clumsy.” Michimiya's large brown eyes looked him over compassionately and he coughed to cover his nervousness.

“Yeah, no, I-I'm good. I'm sorry, what were you saying?” As she opened her mouth to respond, Professor Washijo stepped down in front of their table, his eyes trained toward the back of the room. Both Gryffindors looked up at him with startled concern.

“Kuroo-san, where is your book?” His wand clacked once against Daichi's table and he fought the urge to turn around. Of course the Slytherin Head of House would make things uncomfortable for everyone. Gods forbid this class just went smoothly. It was like the man could smell fear and as Daichi looked up at him, the Professor's eyes flashed to meet him with a wicked grin.

“Sorry professor, I left it in the locker room last night after practice.” Kuroo's voice was clear and heavy with the respect he always showed Washijo. Such a stark contrast from the way he spoke to nearly everyone else.

“You didn't think to go and get it before class? You had both the morning and your lunch hour. I'm disappointed in your irresponsible actions. I'll have to take five points from Slytherin. I expect more from you.” Daichi bit his lip. He hadn't gone to get his books then after he'd left. Probably just because of Bokuto and Akaashi...yeah, probably just that.

Washijo's wand slid along the table and knocked Michimiya's book to the floor. She froze in confusion. The room was silent enough to hear a pin drop.

“Perhaps your new best friend Sawamura-san will share his with you. Since the two of you are so close now and he owes you.” Panic erupted in Daichi's brain, his ears roaring as he watched the Professor flick his wand in a 'move' gesture to Michimiya. She picked up her bag and book and left the seat. He couldn't stop the heat that flooded his face as he stared horrified at the book in front of him, as if it had betrayed him. He had to keep his hands from shaking. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

In his periphery, he saw Kuroo take the seat next to him, leaning back nonchalantly. Oh gods, what if he said something? Usually in this scenario, they would both make a biting comment to each other, and Washijo seemed to be waiting for it. When only silence filled the room for a few seconds, the Professor flicked his wand at Daichi's book and it opened halfway through to a spell page. Then he turned and walked back up to the podium to begin the lecture.

“Today we will be discussing and practicing a spell called Skin Map. The practical applications...” His voice became a drone in Daichi's ears as he scooted the book toward the center of the table so that Kuroo could see it. He didn't look at him. He made sure that no part of his body even slightly turned in his direction. The words on the page were blurring into a mess of black and white and all he could think about was that Kuroo was probably thinking about how he'd kissed him. He'd kissed him. Not even well. It'd been a shit kiss. He'd finally kissed his rival and crush and it had been terrible, devoid of skill or finesse. He was pretty sure he had cut his lip on a tooth. Who knows what damage he'd done to Kuroo, shoving their faces together like hormone-drunk 4th years. He wished he could just sink into the floor and die.

He stared dutifully at the table in front of him, his brain vibrating with silent screaming. His heart rate spiked dangerously when Kuroo shifted toward him, one hand reaching out to flip the page. It pulled his attention enough that he couldn't stop his eyes from flicking up to the other boy's face and...

Kuroo's cheeks looked as flushed as his felt. His eyes stayed glued to the page of the book, but his face and body were rigid, his mouth a tight line. He looked...flustered. Daichi had never seen him like this, he was always so cool and collected, quick with a biting counter and never shying from meeting his eyes with a challenging grin. This was so...new.

He turned away quickly, before Kuroo could realize he was looking at him. A small flutter of hope dared to stretch its wings in Daichi's chest. It was most probable that Kuroo was flustered because he got in trouble, not that he usually shied from that, especially if he also managed to get Daichi in trouble. But he'd said that the coach scolded him for coming to his rescue, so there was already tension between him and the professor.

He also just might be embarrassed and annoyed that Daichi had actually kissed him. But usually, the more Daichi ramped him up, the slicker he became with his cruel words and actions. This was not how he reacted to stress or anger. Especially not with Daichi.

Which pretty much only left one option. That what he was feeling was what the Gryffindor captain was feeling. That when the line had been breached, however gracelessly, that fire had moved through him as well. That it had reshaped the way he looked at his rival.

Daichi took a deep breath that shook slightly as he sucked it in. How the hell were they going to navigate that? How could he even feel that out without exposing too much to the one person with a vested interest in making his life harder? Kuroo was the last person he felt comfortable being vulnerable around. If only he had a fucking time turner and could find a way to stop himself from being so stupid.

“Sawamura!” Washijo called out and he snapped his attention up to the front of the room, “while I'm sure the table is terribly enthralling, you will be doing this exercise on my Quidditch captain, so please pay attention.” He swallowed hard and blanched, feeling a bit faint at that realization.

“Y-yes, sir. Sorry, sir.” Out of sheer habit, he braced himself for a biting comment from Kuroo, but the other boy remained quiet. The whole room seemed to dangle on the edge of expectation and the attention seemed to center on Kuroo. Daichi heard him huff a heavy breath out of his nose. He shifted, turning back to face the rest of the class.

“What? Someone got something to say?” He called out to the other students, and the shuffling sound of uncomfortable fidgeting filled the space. Daichi watched Washijo and saw his eyes narrow.

As he looked over the book, his anxiety found no relief. The diagrams showed a drawn symbol on a palm and then another person holding the wrist and pressing their wand again the skin. A message or picture could appear then on their body, lasting for about an hour. The caster could leave anything on the person, but they had to focus very specifically on what they wanted to manifest and stay. They could also dismiss the images at any point. Oh gods, he was going to have to focus on putting something on Kuroo's skin.

“Please take out the ingredients for the rune. We will be putting them on our own palms, so please follow the directions carefully. If your ratios are off, the paste will burn you.”

Daichi ran a hand through his hair, scanning the page for the list of ingredients. Kuroo's hand drifted over, his finger tapping at a box which listed out the recipe. He pulled the ingredients from the drawer in the table. At least he was able to somewhat lose himself in the measurements and following the instructions in the book. Until Kuroo's smooth voice struck into him.

“You got any extra griffon bone powder? I don't have enough.” Daichi bit the inside of his cheek, sliding over the small dish. When Kuroo took it their fingertips brushed and he jerked back like he'd been shocked by it. Kuroo leaned in toward him, making heat bloom all over him again as he whispered in harsh tones.

“Pull your shit together. What are you, twelve? We have to get through this class and Washijo is watching us.” He looked up to see the Professor looking at them with dark curiosity. His eyes slipped over to meet Kuroo's golden ones, the meanness in his words jolting Daichi back from his internal panic.

They had to check each other's work after the rune was drawn, only one student having to leave because of burns from the mixture. He checked over Kuroo's and of course, it was flawless. He didn't touch him. Kuroo was not so delicate. He grabbed Daichi's wrist, his brush hovering over the symbol as he checked the different points. It pressed against him only once, a slight correction to one of the symbols and he allowed himself to watch the other boy's face while his focus was on his work.

Everything about him looked perfect then. The smooth cut of his jawline and slight pinch of his brow in concentration. The sweep of his nose and his long black eyelashes. And his lips...the memory of sensation followed the visual observation, making Daichi's other fist clench. Had he always looked like that? Like his beauty could bring cities to their knees?

When Kuroo's gaze slid over and collided with Daichi's, he looked away fast, admonishing himself for staring too long. It wasn't fast enough though for him to miss the slight smile that slipped across Kuroo's mouth. His hand buzzed under Kuroo's long fingers.

Washijo was already on top of them as Kuroo released his hand, leaning over to check their work.

“Aren't the two of you unusually chummy today. It looks like you've drawn your symbols correctly. Let's see if you can execute the spell properly. Sawamura, you go first. Kuroo, remember, the lines should tingle, but not hurt. If they begin to hurt, correct him. It means he's using too much magic.”

Kuroo held out his hand and Daichi took his wrist with as much conviction as he could muster. He rested the tip of his wand against the pulse point, saw Kuroo's fingers twitch just a little. Not too much, he reminded himself, soft magic for this. This spell was meant to carry secrets, so the verbal component had to be whispered to the rune. He leaned forward, close to Kuroo's palm so that the tips of his fingers nearly brushed his chin.

“ _Mappellis._ ” His breath seemed to activate it, making the rune shift slightly, aligning some of the broken lines and he felt a connection snap into place. It was like he could see all the veins running through Kuroo, like every part of him was connected and he needed to only follow those paths to mark any part of him. It made sense in a sudden and strange way and he knew to his core that all of Kuroo's skin was a canvas he could paint upon. It gave him a bit of a rush, knowing that the other boy was, in so many ways, laid bare before his magic.

“Good, now manifest something. I want to see it in motion and I want to see it stay. Then I want to see you remove it. Keep it to visible areas.” Kuroo pulled his sleeve up higher and Daichi imagined a bird, trailing lazily along the path of his forearm. The image seemed to blossom from beneath his skin, a crow whose wings flapped slowly as it wound it's way up his arm. He couldn't help but imagine it flying further than the crook of his elbow where it landed, wondered what it would feel like to him as it crossed his chest, winding down his abdomen, and across his hips...

Kuroo hissed through clenched teeth as the bird fizzled, dissipated into a spiderweb of black lines. He pulled back as Washijo 'tched' loudly.

“Too much. You have to focus. Let's hope Kuroo is better than you at the execution. Switch.” His direction was monotone as always, but the disdain was still thick in his words. He acted so cold and , but his investment was obviously in Kuroo's success over Daichi's.

“Sorry,” Daichi whispered as he moved his wand away, breaking the connection. Kuroo made a face, passing him a warning glance as he grabbed his wrist. He shouldn't have apologized. It's not what he normally would have done. But he felt bad about it and it had come out automatically.

The tip of Kuroo's wand pressed against him, the dark sloping wood carved with scales like a dragon. He'd always envied that beautiful wand. As he whispered the word against Daichi's palm, a shiver went through him. He felt the connection take hold from this side of the spell and he felt...exposed. He watched Kuroo's face, watched how pink filled in at his cheeks. The Slytherin captain hadn't realized until now how much of the other person you experienced. He blinked as he looked at Daichi's forearm and he knew that he was seeing much more than just that.

There was a tingling sensation along his wrist and little paw prints wound their way around and up his arm. It was almost pleasant, like an electric buzz vibrating against his skin. He felt the paw prints keep going though, up his arm beneath his robe, and over his shoulder. They wound around behind his neck and then up over his face. Kuroo snickered as he looked at him and Daichi leveled him with a glare.

“Only exposed areas, Kuroo-san,” Washijo chided, and Daichi smiled, despite himself. This felt normal. It was like he let out a breath he'd been holding for the whole class. He imagined he must look ridiculous, little black paw prints running over his face. “Good, now remove them. We can't have Gryffindor's golden boy walking around with marks all over his face.”

They tingled again as they disappeared, and he felt the ones beneath his clothing dissipate as well, until finally the last one at his wrist faded into nothing. The execution had been utterly successful. As he glanced at Kuroo's cocksure grin, he wondered how he managed to be so damn good at every spell. For once, it felt like admiration instead of just jealousy.

“Good. Well done, Kuroo. I'll return to you your five points to Slytherin for that flawless casting. Now clean up, I have other students to observe.” As Washijo walked away, Daichi felt a tingling by his hip and his eyes shot up to Kuroo. At that very moment, he lifted his wand, breaking the connection and turned away. He'd left something, left it in a place only Daichi would see. Curiosity scratched at him.

When class was dismissed, Kuroo nearly sprung from his chair, rushing toward the door without so much as a backward glance. Daichi had just ten minutes before his last class, so he nearly ran to the nearest men's room where he shut himself in one of the stalls. He untucked his shirt and lifted it, revealing Kuroo's neat handwriting, upside-down so that he could read it easily.

_You call that a kiss? Meet me after practice. Locker rooms._

He stared at it. Read it three more times. Excitement coiled in him, a tingling anticipation that had him trailing his fingers along the script. If he did meet him, what would happen? Was this an invitation? It was, wasn't it? Did Kuroo want to...

His mind flashed to images of Bokuto and Akaashi and he shook his head violently to toss them away. No, no, he was definitely not prepared for anything like that and it was also a big assumption that that was Kuroo's intent. But this seemed...good. He tried to consider that Kuroo might simply want to punch his lights out, but given their interactions in class, that seemed unlikely. This was more like a challenge. In a good way. Fuck, how was he going to make it through class and practice knowing what might be waiting for him on the other side?

He tucked his shirt back in and hurried from the restroom, making it into his seat just before the final bell rang. He shivered with pleasure as the tingling of the words fading washed across him. He imagined it was Kuroo's fingertips and bit his lip. Four hours, give or take. His shameless countdown began.


	8. Chapter 8

Kuroo felt surprisingly calm as he leaned against the wall in a darkened alcove outside the locker room. His hood was pulled up, and he kept his eyes trained on the passageway, counting to make sure every last student had cleared out before he made his move. 

Today was the last Gryffindor practice before the big game. It should have been an excellent opportunity to scout out the competition. Normally a day like this would find Kuroo tucked away in the stands, shoulder to shoulder with Oikawa. Together they would size up their enemy, pinpointing their weaknesses, planning and strategizing for their upcoming match. But he couldn’t drag himself to the stadium today. He knew he’d spend the entire time watching Daichi anyway, and besides, he still had no idea what to say to Oikawa. 

Part of him knew that he had a responsibility to be there if he truly wanted to lead his team to victory over the Gryffindors. But his guilty side won out—unable to face Tooru, and yet knowing he could still count on him to attend, and plan, and strategize without him. 

And so, he waited, listening to the Gryffindor team’s voices fade away before stepping out of the shadows and lowering his hood. Kuroo hadn’t seen Daichi leave, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t have slipped past him. Either way, if he wasn’t here waiting at least Kuroo would still have his answer. He took a deep breath and stepped through the door. When he rounded the first bank of lockers he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. 

Daichi was seated on one of the long benches, his back facing the door. He was dressed in his trousers; his robe and tie were draped over the bench beside him. The sleeves of his white button down were rolled to his elbows, tanned forearms flexing with his grip on the edge of the seat, and the fabric of his shirt stretched taut over his rounded shoulders. 

Kuroo wanted to run his hands and his lips over those shoulders; wanted to trace the path he’d taken with the Skin Map spell when Daichi had been stripped bare—open and vulnerable to his magic. Heat rolled down his spine when he thought about the marks he could leave on that tanned skin without his magic. He quickly shook that thought from his head. _‘We’re just here to talk,’_ he reminded himself. 

Kuroo took another step into the room, heels clicking on the concrete floor, and Daichi swiveled toward him, standing from the bench and turning to face him fully. 

“Hey...you came,” Sawamura said, sounding surprised. 

“Well, yeah. I invited you, didn’t I?” Kuroo tried to bite down on his cheek to mask his grin, but he couldn’t stop the corner of his mouth from quirking up.

“Yeah, I guess you did,” Daichi said running his palm awkwardly over the back of his neck—the same palm Kuroo had whispered his spell into that afternoon. He felt his chest constrict at the memory and Kuroo took a few more slow steps toward him. Daichi had stayed...that had to mean something, right? Unless he had come to apologize for what had happened that morning, but there was only one way to find out. 

His heart did a somersault when he watched Sawamura glance down at his feet for a second before looking up at him with a sheepish grin. “Why did you run away?” He blurted. 

Gods, that was not what he meant to ask and he cringed as the words tumbled out of his mouth. He had spent all day crafting a whole well thought out speech, and one flash of that shy smile suddenly had him at a loss for words, shouting out the first thing that popped into his mind. 

Well, not the _first_ thing that popped into his mind...especially when Daichi looked up at him through his lashes like that. He was all thick muscle, and sweet brown eyes, and tanned skin, and Kuroo wanted everything so bad that it made his head spin.

“W-what?” Okay, clearly not the question Daichi expected either. 

He tried again, and his voice rang out remarkably clear despite how fast his heart was thrumming in his chest. “This morning, why didn’t you stay?” Kuroo watched Daichi’s brow furrow. 

“Why do you think?” Daichi mumbled awkwardly, tucking his hands into his pockets and ducking his head as his cheeks flushed. 

A hundred possibilities flashed through his mind, and none of them were good—a ticker-tape highlight reel of rejection. His heart felt like it was going to beat straight out of his chest, but the one thing that he knew for sure was that Daichi was still there, and he clung desperately to that single fact as he pressed his doubts to the back of his mind. 

“I didn’t come here to play guessing games with you, Sa’amura. I came here for the truth.” He slowly advanced through the room as he spoke, holding eye contact with Daichi as he stepped past the bench and moved into his space. Daichi edged backward keeping a comfortable distance between them until his shoulders pressed against the row of lockers halting his retreat. 

“So, tell me the truth. Did you mean it when you...” Kuroo hesitated, not sure if he was ready to hear the answer and knowing he couldn’t take it back once it was out there, but he had to know. He took one final step, schooling his expression and clenching his hands into fists at his sides to stop them from shaking. “...when you kissed me? If you could take it back, would you?

Up until then Daichi had looked uncomfortable and flustered—almost embarrassed. But as soon as the words had left his lips Kuroo caught a glimmer of something else flash across his eyes. Something bolder. Daichi leaned forward from where he’d been crowded against the cool metal lockers, leaving only a sliver of distance between them. The air felt charged in a way that was new—electric and frightening. Daichi was poised to take him apart, but he didn’t know in what way, and it made Kuroo jittery with anticipation. He could hardly breath, and every shallow puff of Daichi’s breath sent echoes of heat rippling out over his skin. 

“...Yes. I would,” he said darkly holding his eye with a gaze so resolute that Kuroo felt the words hit him like a fist into his rib cage.

He huffed a breath out his nose. _‘Fuck—this is why I don’t do the boyfriend thing.’_ Kuroo closed his eyes and swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. 

Before he could find the right words or even take a step back he felt a slow drag of fingertips skim along his brow, brushing the unruly bangs out of his face. The breath caught in his chest when Daichi whispered into the space between them, “But only because, as first kisses go, that could have been a lot better.” A warm hand cupped his cheek and Kuroo’s eyes flashed wide, “And yes. I meant it.” 

Daichi wore his heart on his sleeve, his eyes always gave him away, and right now they sparkled with so much hope that Kuroo could scarcely believe it was real. With a smirk and a steady voice that belied the anxiousness he felt coursing through him he asked, “In that case...want to give it another shot?” 

The hand at his cheek slid back to tangle in his hair just as Daichi’s other hand found his jaw, pulling him down and sealing their mouths together. Daichi kissed him, slow and soft at first, but there was no hesitation in the firm presses of lips. 

He smiled against Sawamura’s mouth when he pulled back for a breath, and Kuroo let him lead when Daichi angled his chin, pressing deeper as their lips slid together again. If he had more to say it was lost to the heady mix of Daichi’s words in his ears, and the sensation of calloused palms held over his pulse points as he parted his lips to let Daichi’s tongue slip between—easy, and confident, and so, so good against his own.

“How’s that?” Daichi whispered when they broke apart, their noses brushing together.

“Much better,” Kuroo hummed against his lips. He curled his hands over Daichi’s waist, drawing a gasp from him when his thumb dragged over the sensitive curve of his hip, the same spot that had carried his hidden message just a few hours ago. Kuroo wondered if his touch sent sparks tingling across Daichi’s skin the way he knew that his magic had—the same way Daichi’s touch did as he trailed along his jawline. 

He took advantage of Daichi’s surprise to plunge his tongue back between those plush parted lips, licking into his mouth and swallowing down a quiet moan when he rolled their hips together. He slipped a knee in between Daichi’s and grinned wickedly as the other boy threw his head back with a gasp.

_“ Ah!—Tetsurou.”_

The sound of his name on Daichi’s lips snapped his last thread of self-control. Kuroo didn’t know what to do with all the emotions that had been clawing at his chest, threatening to suffocate him ever since practice yesterday when he had opened his eyes and found himself in Daichi’s lap. But this? This beautiful body panting and writhing under his touch...he knew what to do with this. 

With both hands he gripped Daichi’s collar and pulled him away from the lockers, crashing their mouths back together for one fiery moment before he spun them both and pushed Daichi toward one of the low benches. Sawamura collapsed backward when his legs hit the edge of the bench, sending his bag and his robe toppling to the floor. He looked up at Kuroo with wide eyes and pink cheeks as he stepped between his spread legs. 

“Damn it, you look cute when you blush like that.”

Daichi sputtered, cheeks darkening as Tetsurou stood over him and stroked his fingers down the side of his face, “Fuck you, Kuroo.” 

Kuroo bent down, twisting his fingers into Sawamura’s collar again as he crooned, “Ohoho, is that what you want Daichi?” His other hand gripped his chin, tipping Daichi’s face upward as he whispered over his lips, “Do you want to fuck me?”

A split second later, Daichi yanked him down to straddle his lap with a deep growl that Kuroo felt vibrate through him at every point of contact. He felt his own cheeks color at the groan that slipped from his lips when two large hands tightened over his waist. Being like this with Daichi was new, but this dance between them wasn’t. The fire in his rival’s eyes, the push and pull between them for control, the unspoken promise that the other was about to be taken apart—that was familiar, and he felt heat pooling low as he ground his hips down against the bulge in Daichi’s slacks. 

Kuroo kissed him again, rolling his hips against him and drinking him in until his lungs burned and he had to pull back for air. 

“W-wait, Tetsu— _ah—_ we should—we should stop,” Daichi stuttered between heaving breaths. 

“He’s right, _Tetsu_ _._ You should stop.”

They both jolted, snapping their heads toward the other voice, “ _Shit—_ Oikawa? What are you doing...”

Oikawa interrupted him, “What am I doing? No, what the fuck are _you_ doing, Kuroo?” He shook his head, eyes fixed on Kuroo, not so much as a glance in Daichi’s direction. “How long has it been? Nine...almost ten months? And you didn’t even have the decency to _say_ something to me before you just...fall into his lap?” 

Sawamura shifted beneath him, taking his hands off his hips and sliding backward on the bench to put some distance between them. Kuroo flicked his eyes down to Daichi and caught the confusion in his gaze before glancing back up to where Oikawa stood just inside the doorway. 

“Tooru, it’s not like that.” 

“Don’t.” Oikawa didn’t shout, but there was a hard edge to his voice. “Don’t call me that anymore. And don’t lie to me, because from where I’m standing it’s _exactly_ like that. Did...did we really mean so little to you?” His voice wavered at the end, and Kuroo could see the muscles in his jaw tighten from across the room as he clenched his teeth. 

“Will one of you please explain to me what the hell is going on here?” Daichi asked with a bewildered glance between the two of them. 

“What’s going on is, I can fuck whoever I want to,” Kuroo said without taking his eyes off Oikawa. 

“Yeah, and that rule counted when it was Terushima, but you and I both know that this is different.” _He’s different._ Oikawa didn’t say it, but he didn’t have to. The implication was there, and even unspoken the weight of it hung heavy in the air. Kuroo held Oikawa’s gaze, struggling to find the words to make him understand until he felt Sawamura pushing him off his lap.

A knot formed in Kuroo’s chest as he watched him collect his things from the floor and stand from the bench. His voice was tight when he turned back to Oikawa, “Can we talk about this later?” Oikawa didn’t budge, he just crossed his arms and stepped to the side to let Sawamura through the doorway. 

“Daichi, wait! Just...let me explain,” Kuroo could hear how desperate his voice sounded, and he hated it, but he just needed him to stop and listen. 

“I don’t need to hear anymore, Kuroo. You said it yourself,” Sawamura said looking back over his shoulder. All the warmth was gone from his eyes, and Kuroo’s insides twisted under his steely gaze. “You can fuck whoever you want to, but I didn’t come here to be another notch in your bedpost.” 

Daichi ducked his head, avoiding Oikawa’s eyes as he hurried around the bank of lockers and out the doorway. For a few tense moments the only sound Kuroo could hear was the blood rushing in his ears. He stomped across the room, grabbing Oikawa by the front of his robes. “Do you know what you just did? Goddamnit Oikawa!” He growled at him through clenched teeth. “How can you stand here lecturing me about the rules when you’re the one who broke them first?”

“What...what are you talking about?” Kuroo released his grip on Oikawa’s robes and stepped back, running a hand through his hair as he scoffed and looked away from his friend. Tooru’s voice was tight when he asked, “You knew? And you never said anything?”

Kuroo crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “I’m not talking about this here. Not without Iwaizumi.” 

“...Fine.” Oikawa stomped out the door, no doubt heading toward the Slytherin dorms.

* * *

Kuroo lingered for a moment outside the common room, just a few steps behind Oikawa, whose expression must have given him away the moment he stepped through the door. 

“Oikawa-san, are you alright?” Kuroo heard Akaashi ask. He stepped past the heavy green curtain and into the room behind Oikawa to find Akaashi and Iwaizumi looking up at them with concern written across their faces. 

Iwaizumi stood from the sofa and crossed the room in three long strides to wrap his arms around Oikawa’s shoulders. Tooru shook his head, but didn’t say a word as he clutched at the front of Iwaizumi’s shirt and tucked his face into the dip of his shoulder. Hajime threaded his fingers through his hair looking up at Kuroo, “What happened?”

“I need to talk to you,” Kuroo said, meeting Hajime’s gaze over Oikawa’s head. “Both of you.” 

“I’ve already heard enough,” Oikawa mumbled into Iwaizumi’s shoulder.

“No. Sawamura wouldn’t listen, but you’re not going to walk away from me. Not when this is your fault.” He saw Oikawa cringe, and Hajime squeezed him tighter, looking helplessly between him and Kuroo. 

“Kuroo-san, what happened?” Akaashi asked, rising from his armchair to cross the room. 

He took a deep breath before he met Akaashi’s eye. “You all wanted me to think about why I got Sa’amura out of the way of the bludger. Well I did, and do you know what I realized?” He looked down at his feet, squeezing his eyes shut and clenching his fists at his sides. “You were right. I like him. I like him so so much.” He looked back up at Akaashi who nodded for him to continue, keeping his expression neutral. 

“And then out of nowhere today he kissed me. So I thought that _maybe_ there was a slim chance that he actually liked me back. I asked him to meet me in the locker room to talk. That’s where...he found us,” he sent a scowl Oikawa’s direction. “I was there to get answers, not to hook up with him, but thanks to Oikawa’s big mouth Daichi thinks that’s all I wanted.” Kuroo pushed his bangs back and tugged at his hair in frustration, “He stormed out without giving me a chance to explain. There’s no way he’d believe me now. He probably hates me.” 

Oikawa wrenched himself away from Iwaizumi’s grip and spun on Kuroo, “Thanks to me? You weren’t talking Kuroo, you were practically riding him! You said you wanted to fuck him!” 

Kuroo felt some of the wind go out of his sails as his face heated up, embarrassed at how much Oikawa had witnessed. “That’s not...exactly what I said… It just got a little heated. And how long were you standing there watching before you said something?”

“Long enough.”

Iwaizumi grabbed Oikawa’s hand, threading their fingers together. “Tooru, what were you even doing there?” 

“I went to watch their practice...” he looked up at Kuroo with wet eyes threatening to spill over, “like we always do. I saw you as I was leaving the stadium. I just...had to know for sure...”

All the righteous fury he felt before evaporated at Oikawa’s broken words. The overheard confession echoed in his mind. _“Why did it have to be him? If Kuroo was going to fall for someone why couldn’t it have been us?”_

Kuroo cleared his throat, “Um...can I talk to you both...in private?” Iwaizumi nodded his head and pulled Oikawa toward the door. Akaashi squeezed Kuroo’s shoulder as he moved past him and gave him another nod that he was sure was meant to be reassuring, but really only made him feel worse as he followed the other two toward their shared room. 

The reality of the situation hit him all at once as he followed Iwaizumi and Oikawa down the hall. He cared about them both, and his heart ached to see them hurting, especially when he was the cause of that pain, at least in part. Tooru and Hajime were so important to him, and had been for a long time—he loved them, he just didn’t love them like that. 

He had been so angry at them for breaking their rules, for not calling things off before it went too far...but now he realized he couldn’t blame them for that. Not really. Not when he was in so deep with the captain of their rival team. It was just like Iwaizumi had said. You don’t get to choose who you love. They deserved to hear the truth; he could only hope that there would be something of their friendship left to salvage once it was over. 

Kuroo closed the heavy door behind him and leaned against it. Oikawa sat perched on the edge of his bed, which was nearest the door, and Iwaizumi stood next to him at the foot of the bed. 

“So...this morning I was looking for you two after...after I ran into Sawamura outside the locker room.” Oikawa’s eyes were closed, and his grip on the bedspread tightened. Kuroo caught something like surprise flash across Iwaizumi’s face before he steeled his expression. “I overheard you in the dungeons when you said...well...” 

He swallowed hard as he watched a fat tear roll down Oikawa’s cheek. Hajime ran a hand through his short spikes with a sigh, “You weren’t supposed to hear that.” 

Kuroo nodded. “I should have said something instead of avoiding you. I just didn’t know what to say.” He whispered, “I’m sorry,” unable to take his eyes off Tooru as another tear rolled down his cheek. 

“You swear you didn’t know?” Tooru asked, finally lifting his head to look Kuroo in the eye.

“I didn’t know,” Kuroo said with a shake of his head. “Not until this morning.”

“We wanted to tell you. We were just...waiting for the right moment, I guess.” Hajime’s voice was gravelly, and he cleared his throat in a weak attempt to shake some of the emotion threatening to choke him. “Kind of hard to break things off without letting you in on the whole...we’re in love with you thing.” 

Kuroo flinched hearing the admission straight from his lips, and the shaky breath Oikawa took just then made his chest feel tight. “Toor—Oikawa?”

Tooru looked up at him through wet lashes. His words came out thick with the tears that steadily fell down his cheeks, “It’s okay.” He huffed a breath, “I mean, it’s not okay...but it will be.”

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.” 

Hajime closed the distance between them and pulled Kuroo into a tight hug. “It’s no one’s fault. And I already told you this once; just because you’re not my boyfriend doesn’t mean I don’t care about you.” Kuroo hummed and nodded against his shoulder. “But Kuroo...” he leaned in to speak into his ear so only Kuroo could hear, “if you make him cry again you’ll regret it.” 

“I don’t doubt it,” Kuroo huffed a dry humorless laugh as Hajime released him. “I’m...gonna go.” He crossed the room and pulled the quilt off his bed, tucking a pillow under his arm. He kept his eyes down as he left, but with his hand on the doorknob Kuroo paused and turned back. 

“I really am sorry...for everything. You both deserve better.” 

His eyes stung when he stepped into the hall, and the strangled sob that followed him through the door had him scrubbing at his face with his sleeve. When he made his way back out to the common room Akaashi was still there, reading quietly at the end of the sofa. Kuroo flopped down under his quilt, stretching out across the cushions and propped his pillow against Akaashi’s thigh.

He lay there quietly for a while before Akaashi closed his book and placed it aside. “How did it go?” His voice was soft, and he placed a gentle hand atop Kuroo’s head, carding through his hair. 

“Fine...definitely could have gone worse.” It really was fine, all things considered, but one thing still worried him. 

“Keiji...what if he hates me?”

Akaashi stroked soothing fingers over Kuroo’s scalp, “He won’t hate you, Kuroo-san.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouch. That hurt my heart. No one is having a good time right now y’all. How on earth are they going to fix this?
> 
> ♡ ♡ ♡


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> huehue Daichi mad...
> 
> Guys, I have to be honest with you, this is my favorite one of my chapters, so I really hope you enjoy it. We are going to mess up our rhythm a bit, as the next chapter will also be from Daichi's pov and then we'll have two from Kuroo. We both got carried away. But trust me, it's well worth it.

The roaring in his ears was so loud that he didn't even notice the tears until he felt them fall heavy against his shirt. He stopped, leaning a hand against the wall and wiping at his face, fury burning at the back of his throat. A shaky breath tore from between his clenched teeth.

How fucking stupid he had been. Could anything, literally anything, have been so completely self-annihilating as laying his heart bare before his fucking rival? Kuroo Tetsurou, the bane of his existence, the villain of his story, and he'd just thrown the gates wide open and let him in. And he would have let him take everything. Hot shame simmered under his skin. He'd wanted him so badly. Known full well that if he had pushed, even just the smallest amount, they would have done a hell of a lot more than just make out in that locker room. He was still aching from the arousal and it made his jaw clench all the harder.

So it was all true. All the rumors about him, about the whole Slytherin team, that they were all involved to varying degrees...he was disgusted. Not because he cared about who or how many people other people slept with. Rather, because a symptom of this growing heartache had been to believe that Kuroo was just acting. That all that casual flirtation and smooth confidence and cutting cruelty were just part of the character he played for the rest of the world. That deep down, he was good and cared and was just misunderstood...

Daichi gave a humorless laugh. What kind of stupid fucking teenage girl bullshit was that? Isn't that exactly what every romance novel tsundere was boxed neatly into? How much of a complete and utter dumbass believed in that shit?

_I can fuck whoever I want to._

Seldom had mere words ripped hope from him so violently. Mere words, said into the eyes of another, someone who was angry and hurting. Someone who was betrayed. It had fallen together perfectly, Oikawa's earlier reaction that morning and even Iwaizumi's oddly aggressive behavior. Kuroo had something shiny and new in his sight, something he could claim, an advantage over his enemy.

He should thank Oikawa for that. For sparing him the humiliation. Thinking back, nothing that Kuroo had said revealed any sort of feelings he might have. His face had shifted, softened, even looked hurt when Daichi had teased at him a bit and said he'd take it back...

He still wanted to believe it. Even now, even after all the evidence stacked against him and those cold words were still etched across him, just like the Skin Map spell had scoured them there. He punched at the wall, scoring his knuckles and hissing. He wished it could have been Kuroo's face.

“Whoa, hey, what'd that wall do to you, huh, Daichi-san?”

He looked up a bit panicked, hyper aware that it was fairly obvious that he was losing his shit over something, to be met with Bokuto's big golden eyes and infectious grin. It wasn't having the usual affect on Daichi today. The Hufflepuff captain cocked his head as the smile slipped from him.

“Hey, what's going on? Is everything okay?” His voice had fallen into gentle concern in a heartbeat and he closed the distance between them, placing a comforting hand on Daichi's shoulder.

They weren't even really friends, why was he doing this? Daichi's eyes stung. He didn't want consoling right now, he just wanted to punch things, including himself.

“Yes, everything is fine. Thanks Bokuto-san. Just...stress. About the game.” One silver eyebrow twitched up as he studied Daichi's face intently. He gave Bokuto a tight smile, trying to appease him.

“We've been captains for the last two years, and I've never seen you care so much about a game. It's late. Did something happen? I'll go with you to report it if it did. Was it Kuroo-san-” A bright snap popped in Daichi's mind and he shoved Bokuto away.

“No! Fuck Kuroo. Why would you think it had anything to do with him? Huh?” Bokuto blinked at him in shock, and he heaved a sigh, ashamed of his outburst.

“S-sorry. You guys just always fight, so I thought...”

“Yeah well, kinda hard to get along with someone who doesn't give a shit about anyone else. Who just uses people and does whatever he wants and does it all with a goddamn perfect smirk on his smug fucking face.” He punched at the wall again and Bokuto grabbed his arm, spinning him and shoving him up against it. He was bigger than Daichi and held him in place despite his struggling until his explosion had burned out. He sagged against the stone, his head falling back and one tear slipping down his cheek. Bokuto's grip on his upper arms slackened.

“You know, that's not really at all how Kuroo is. And I'm not sure why it matters so much to you, but it clearly matters a lot so, you should, I don't know, maybe talk to one of the Slytherins? He's really not a bad guy.”

“What the hell do you even know about him, Bokuto?” His harsh words jolted Bokuto back from him and he gave him a hurt look that sunk into his marrow. Why was he being this way? This was honestly one person who was genuinely just trying to help and he was lashing out at him selfishly. “Sorry, I just, I really can't hear about it right now.”

Bokuto put his hands on his hips, eyes dipping to the floor. He worried his bottom lip between his teeth.

“Man, I wish Akaashi were here. He always knows what to say about stuff like this. I'm no good at it.”

“It's fine, Bokuto-san. I just need to go back to my room and sleep it off.” The fire had gone out of his voice and he just sounded defeated and sad. Bokuto whined, his hands clenching and unclenching anxiously.

“Okay, wait, just, let me...let me go get Akaashi. Stay right here. He always knows the right thing to say. I was going to go get him anyway!” Daichi felt the blood in his head pound in annoyance. He needed Bokuto to just go the fuck away. The idea of talking to Akaashi made him feel sick and he looked up into Bokuto's hopeful grin and felt the rise of venom to the back of his throat.

“No offense, Bokuto, but I don't want to talk to any of the fucking Slytherins right now. Because based on what I've just witnessed, I have no idea how many of them Kuroo is fucking and I don't really want to know.” Bokuto's eyebrows bounced in confusion and he blinked a few times.

“Wait. What? Kuroo's not...Well he's not sleeping with Akaashi!” he nearly shouted, but his face was looking a bit flushed and the steam train of Daichi's raw nerves kept barreling forward, no matter how much his brain was screaming to stop it.

“You sure about that, Bo? Because he sure as hell was sleeping with Oikawa, who also has a boyfriend. Hell, I think he might be sleeping with both of them. And apparently Terushima? And the rumors sure say it's the whole team, and Akaashi is damn pretty, and Kuroo said it himself, he fucks whoever he wants to. So how sure are you about that, really?”

A terrible dark satisfaction moved through him as he saw Bokuto crumble beneath his words. The big man deflated, a brutal look of betrayal overtaking his features as his eyes slid down the hallway. Daichi felt like he could almost hear the bone-crunching heartache that he was suffering from constrict around the Hufflepuff captain as well. He passed one more look at Daichi, broken and fearful, before he turned and stormed away.

Good. Let him take that back to the Slytherins. Let him rile up those vipers all the more. He didn't care. He wanted them to hurt and if Bokuto had to be collateral damage, so be it. He trudged back to the Gryffindor dorms, desperate for the escape of sleep before he had to face the morning.

**

When morning brought back wretched consciousness, Daichi's headache had only worsened. His gut churned with misery and guilt. He was pretty sure that his brain was shutting down his body, as all of his muscles ached in ways that Quidditch practice had certainly not caused. He let out a miserable groan.

His roommate rolled over and placed his pillow over his head as Daichi dragged himself out of bed and dressed, barely conscious. Today he would have to face all of those people from yesterday who had hurt him...and whom he had hurt. He didn't even want resolution. He just wanted it all to go back to how it had been. He regretted saying those things to Bokuto, waiting up for Kuroo, and of course, for foolishly kissing him in the first place. He was an idiot. And a tool. And there would be consequences. Right before the big game. Fuck.

As he aimlessly swirled oatmeal around in his bowl at one of the tables in the great hall, refusing to look up on the off chance any of those consequences chose to present themselves, he simply wallowed. He didn't for a moment try to hide it and prayed that it would keep anyone from approaching him. He wasn't sure he could fake a normal conversation if he tried.

Someone slid down on the bench across from him and his eyes raised, intending to glower them away. Unfortunately, he met the smooth dark gaze of Akaashi and his blood froze in his veins. He grabbed his bowl and started to stand when the Slytherin Seeker's sharp and commanding voice pierced him.

“Sit down, Sawamura.” His butt met the seat again automatically, his panic rising from Akaashi's drop of the honorific, something he was known to never do. His face was still placid, which made it worse somehow. The fury in his command was completely unreadable in his expression, but it had certainly been in his voice. Daichi could almost feel it emanate from him in dark waves. He gulped and set his bowl down in front of him, folding his hands around it.

“I had a very nice tryst planned for yesterday evening, Sawamura-san. A lovely walk down by the lake which would culminate in stolen moments off the path in a pine hollow, aromatic needles softening the ground around us as the warm summer wind stole our whispered words into the forest. It would have been quite romantic.” The calm, yet somehow brutally intense words slipped from Akaashi. His tone was quiet, so that only Daichi would hear. He pulled his bowl closer to his chest, staring down at the table and sweating.

“Imagine my surprise and disappointment when my paramour arrived with eyes full of fear and mistrust. When he quite shamelessly asks my friend and I who were seated on the couch together, discussing rather heavy topics, if the two of us were sleeping together. If I would prefer to be with my dear captain over him and how he had come to the conclusion that if I would be happier with Kuroo-san, he understood and that he would never bother me again. This person, pure of heart and filled with love, whom I adore above all else, said these things to me with tears running down his face, Sawamura.” Daichi was biting the inside of his lip so hard he tasted blood.

Somehow, the scene that had brought him such grim satisfaction just yesterday, now made him feel like the most terrible villain in the world. Akaashi's hard stare skewered him in shame and he felt his face redden.

“Sor-”

“No.” He didn't even get the apology out before Akaashi interrupted him. “No, not yet you aren't. I'd considered involving myself in this foolishness before, but decided it was none of my business if you and Kuroo-san wanted to continue your mutually assured destruction, but now you've pulled me into it, so you're going to listen.” Akaashi was silent a moment, testing him to see if he would push, but Daichi just stared at him, mortified and a bit in awe at this new side of the usually so quiet and collected Seeker.

“I know what happened between the two of you yesterday. I know the directions it branched in the shatter effect of the damage. And the only reason, the only reason, I'm not working toward making your life fall apart around your feet is because, I do, in fact, understand.” Daichi's eyebrow's shot up, followed by a deep frown. This seemed like a fairly unique scenario. Still, he didn't say a word, letting the Seeker continue.

“Do you know how Bokuto-san and I ended up together?” It had been over a year and he remembered something about a confession in the locker room, but honestly he had no idea. And he had wondered. The two of them were so opposite, they seemed incompatible. So he shook his head and remained silent.

“When I first met Bokuto-san, I had never met someone as terribly obnoxious in my entire life. It took exactly three interactions for me to decide that I hated him. He was loud, so loud all the time, and his constant positivity was disgusting. He was also an idiot, the stupidest man I had ever shared a conversation with. Every time I was forced to interact with him, I walked away burning with anger and annoyance. Yet, he seemed to keep seeking me out, constantly trying to drag me into conversation, making me writhe in discomfort under his scalding gaze. No one had ever riled and exhausted me in such a way and it was madness.

“I began taking great joy in aiming savage barbs toward him whenever I could. He laughed them off at first, but I learned how to hurt him, and it took relatively little time before he began to break each time I struck. It was satiating, the way that I could affect him. I lived for the moments that I could tear him apart with a single sentence. Still he made me burn and the more I burned in his presence the more terrible I became, hungry for the impact I could have on him.

“And then he started to pull away. I saw him less and less. He would leave when I entered a room and he always quieted when I came within his orbit. I should have loved that but I...I hated it. It left no opportunity for me to damage him and I missed that power. And then, one day, I was huddled on a bench outside when he walked by with a group of friends, not noticing me, and he laughed. That full, rich laugh he releases when he forgets to temper it and...I...I realized that in the weeks he had avoided me, the pain I was feeling was one of absence. There was a hole in me in the shape of his laughter and I didn't recognize it until it was filled.

“I ran from it. It was impossible that this man I hated so much could fill me with such longing. But I came to realize that all the burning he constantly made me feel, it wasn't anger. It was because he was like the sun, and I was so determined to stay in the shadows that I never understood the warmth and the life that was all around him. But fear and pride kept me rooted and I didn't budge, my cold cruelty persisted, until one day, he entered the locker room after our practice, when the whole team was there, dripping wet from the rain after sitting in the stands to watch us and we all just stared at him like he was a mad man. And he looked at me, standing there in just my towel and the mantle of my panic and confusion and he threw his hands out in wrenching desperation and he said, 'Akaashi, I'm in love with you.'

“And I realized that I had a choice in that moment. I could have everything I wanted if I just told him the truth and gave up my charade. Or, I could rebuke him, and spend the rest of my days in the dark and endless winter that my life was without his radiant joy. I'm sure you can guess what I chose.”

He sat back, a small smile pulling at his lips which made his beauty more stark than ever and Daichi stared at him, spellbound. He was pretty sure he had never seen Akaashi say so much at one time, ever. He shook his head and as the silence drew out, felt like he could speak without being reprimanded.

“Akaashi-san, that's a truly beautiful story, but I really don't understand what that has to do with what I'm dealing with. All those things you described, that's not how I feel about Kuroo. And I don't really foresee him making any grand gestur-”

“Of course not. You're the sun.” Daichi's mouth hung open from the cutoff words of his last sentence, Akaashi's response ringing through his ears. Gears and springs inside of his head seemed to lock into place as he turned the perspective and realized what the Slytherin Seeker was saying. He didn't want to let himself believe it, because it would be too painful when it was once again revealed to be a ruse, but he did want it, wanted it so bad that his heart tried to leap from his chest.

“What. No. I can't...”

“Stop letting him hide in the darkness he's so comfortable in. Burn away his pride until he has nothing but the truth left to show you.” Fear twisted harsh in his gut as Akaashi held his gaze. Raucous laughter bounced through the room, the clear sign of Bokuto's entrance and Akaashi's gaze slipped to the Hufflepuff captain, that small smile returning. He began to stand.

“You're not going to threaten to murder me if I ever tell any of this to Bokuto, are you?” Daichi said with a grin, and Akaashi slowly pulled his gaze back to meet Daichi's, his smile fading.

“No one knows it better than he does, Sawamura-san. Those are the things I whisper to him in the dark when we are alone. So that he will shine for me.” Daichi's heart stuttered.

“AGAASHI! I GOT US A WHOLE CHALLAH LOAF!” Daichi looked over his shoulder to see Bokuto raising the beautiful braided loaf over his head in pride, his grin almost blinding. He couldn't help but smile.

“You should keep that in mind, Sawamura-san, when I tell you with absolute certainty that if you ever make him question my loyalty to him again, no one will ever know what happened to you.” The chill of those words made Daichi turn rigidly back around, but Akaashi was already coming around the table and passing by him. “Meet me at 6:15 sharp on the third floor balcony next to the painting of the green knight. Tonight.”

He didn't even slow as he gave the directions, just walked straight to Bokuto, who lowered the bread and offered it to him like a prize. He gave the exuberant captain a soft smile and a shake of the head, leaning in to whisper something in his ear. Bokuto's face flushed red as a shy smile spread across his handsome features. And he did shine. Few things were as radiant as Bokuto in full bloom and Akaashi had made an art of coaxing him to it. Daichi wanted that. He wanted Kuroo to whisper things to him that would make him glow. He stared into his oatmeal. What the fuck was he going to do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I know, I know, I'm sure you were all mad about Bokuto. I was mad about Bokuto. But like, CAN WE HEAR IT FOR KURODAI MVP SCARY AKAASHI?


	10. Chapter 10

Classes ground by slower than ever, though thankfully today he didn't share any with Kuroo. He'd been trying all day to figure out what to say to him, but nothing was breaking through the crippling fear that was twisting around him like barbed wire. Was Akaashi setting up a meeting with him? If he really confessed and Kuroo laughed and rejected him, or made light of it, he wasn't sure what he would do. Would Akaashi set him up like that? He did seem pretty mad about what had happened with Bokuto, but somehow, Daichi just couldn't believe he would go to all that trouble just to humiliate him further.

So as he made his way to the third floor landing at 6:08, Daichi's heart was turning somersaults at his utter lack of preparation. The portrait of the green knight blinked at him, spinning his spear a few times and looking at Daichi expectantly. He smiled and nodded his appreciation and the knight bowed deeply.

A soft grinding noise caught his attention, and another portrait a few feet down slid open and Akaashi came through, graceful as ever. He pinned a small emerald serpent to Daichi's robe, the little bauble glittering in the torchlight.

“You will be giving this back to me. Usually Bokuto just keeps it, but I'm making this one exception because I need for this whole thing to be resolved. We all do.” Daichi nodded. He hoped that Akaashi couldn't see how panic-stricken he was, how he had no plan and was so assured of failure that his knees were knocking together. He wasn't even sure where they were going.

He followed Akaashi through the portrait and down several flights of stairs, until they reached a wall. The Seeker took his arm and just walked through it, much like the illusion at the train station, and Daichi followed. They exited into a hallway of doors, exactly like the Gryffindor dorms except all the colors were green and silver instead of red and gold. He heard the noise of many people from down the hall, where he could guess the common room would be...

Oh god, Akaashi intended for him to confess in front of the whole Slytherin common room! What if they all laughed at him? What if Kuroo crushed his poor heart under his boot heel and he just died right here of mortification? Or worse yet, what if he survived it?

There was a curtain separating the dorms from the common room and he heard laughter from behind it. He went to move through with Akaashi, when his escort raised an arm in front of him. He heard Kuroo's voice rise over the rest.

“Yeah, well, my whole future is essentially riding on this game, so let's not fuck it up, okay guys?”

“Dramatic as always, Tetsurou,” someone else said and the group laughed. Then, Akaashi pushed through the curtain and pulled him along.

The Slytherin common room opened up before him, just as grand as Gryffindor's and perhaps even more lavish. The silver inlay and trim everywhere glittered and about two dozen people milled about. He spotted Kuroo immediately, leaning against the back of a couch, his robe and sweater discarded, tie loose and the top buttons of his shirt open. Akaashi yanked Daichi forward and cleared his throat, drawing eyes to them which were followed by surprised gasps. When Daichi saw Kuroo look up and blanch he felt the old defenses kick into play.

The room fell deadly silent, space clearing between them as people focused on him, the loan lion in the viper pit. Kuroo stood up straight with a jolt that made one of his adjacent companions spill a drink on themselves.

“S-Sawamura! What the hell are you doing here?” There was no bite to the words, just clear alarm. Words, he needed words, and they tumbled from him, surprisingly steady as he stared at the man in front of him. He was still so handsome, it was almost painful.

“You said you wanted to explain. So let's hear it.” Amazing how the anger had flared back into him when he stood before Kuroo, his gallant heart preparing to defend itself. Iwaizumi stepped toward him with a grimace, and a new tendril of panic lashed at him. Great, not only one of the people who probably hated him right now, but a Slytherin prefect, who knew full well he shouldn't be here and had every vested interest in booting him out.

But Akaashi stepped in front of him and placed a hand on Iwaizumi's chest, which stopped the prefect in his tracks, and the Seeker's dark eyes met Daichi with a nod of encouragement. He looked back at Kuroo, who gave him a stricken look as he glanced around the room packed with his peers.

“Can we talk about this in private?” Kuroo grated at him and defiance flared hot in Daichi's blood. He took two bold steps toward the other captain, who was trapped by the back of the couch. There was still a good six feet between them, but he wanted to make sure he could see Kuroo's expression beneath his wild bangs.

“No. I want them to hear it, too. I kissed you, I waited for you when you asked, I even told you how I felt about it, and you've given me nothing. So what do you have for me, Tetsurou? Anything? Or should I just go?” A murmur broke out in the room of Slytherins but Kuroo's eyes didn't stray from him. His rival took a breath as if to speak, and then another, his arms crossing in front of him. Daichi's heart sank.

His hands balled into fists and his brow creased, biting his lip. So stupid. Why had he trusted Akaashi? He turned away from Kuroo, momentum carrying him a single step.

“No! Don't go!” Kuroo's desperate plea froze him to the spot. The room fell totally silent, not even the rustle of clothing alleviating the tension. He peeked at Kuroo over his shoulder, his heart twisting around in his chest. His eyebrows raised as he sucked in a breath.

Kuroo stood, one hand reaching toward him, his face filled with...what could only be described as longing. It was the purest expression Daichi had ever seen on him and it was ricocheting through him like a lightning bolt. He turned halfway back to him, waiting, hope swelling in him once again. Kuroo's golden eyes darted nervously around the room and he ran a hand through his messy hair, looking up at Daichi through dark lashes and it made his legs turn to jelly. He waited. Kuroo sighed and tugged at his hair, a blush breaking across his face.

“Are you really going to make me say it here? In front of everyone?”

Daichi turned to face him fully, crossing his arms over his chest and rolling his shoulders back, quirking one eyebrow up in challenge. He'd passed Kuroo this look many times, _I dare you_ , it said, but for once, he really had the upper hand with it. Kuroo shut his eyes and huffed a breath out through his nose, steeling himself. When he opened them again, he stared straight into Daichi.

“I...I like you...okay. I really, really, like you. And I don't know how to do that.” He glanced around nervously, like he was waiting for someone to take advantage of this moment of horrifying vulnerability. The other Slytherins just stared, several mouths gaping open. His piercing gaze settled back on Daichi, and he swallowed, looking so out of his depth and for once in his stupid life, not the cool and collected playboy he always purported himself as. Daichi held out a hand to him, a smile finally breaking through his shock.

“Then will you please, please, fucking meet me halfway for once? I'm literally right here. I... think I always have been.”

Kuroo looked down at his hand and without a moment of hesitation, took three bold steps, passing his extended hand entirely to wrap his arms around Daichi in a way that made his soul feel like it left his body. The room exploded into cheers and he embraced Kuroo back, relishing this honest and heartfelt moment, unlike any they had ever shared before. Kuroo angled his face toward Daichi's ear, his breath warm against him.

“I'm sorry. I should have...” his hands clenched Daichi's robe and he rubbed along Kuroo's back in return.

“Yeah, me too,” he rumbled to the taller boy, nuzzling into his shoulder. He could stay like this forever, but another hand slid over Kuroo's shoulder and they separated as Iwaizumi pulled his attention away.

“He can't be here, Kuroo. Get him out.” He said it softly, no anger behind it, but there was sorrow in his expression and he kept his eyes trained to the floor. “Akaashi, I'm going to revoke your privilege, damnit. Bringing Gryffindors into the common room...”

“Try it, Iwaizumi-san. See what happens,” was the cool Seeker's response, and Kuroo gave a single chuckle, lacing his fingers with Daichi's and pulling him back down the hallway. Daichi felt dazed. He knew he should be elated, filled with bountiful joy, but he just felt...relief.

Kuroo pulled him through the illusory wall, the stairwell on the other side so dimly lit that he saw only blackness when he first opened his eyes. But he was pulled by the edges of his robe against a warm body, Kuroo's back to the wall as his long fingers trailed up Daichi's neck and jawline.

“Bold move, captain,” he whispered against Daichi's lips and desire sang through him, heady and sharp. His hands found Kuroo's waist and pushed him harder against the wall.

“That is what we Gryffindors are known for.” Kuroo hummed against his breathy response but then his lips were on his, the taste of him filling Daichi's senses once again with tingling bliss. He ground their hips together as Kuroo's tongue slipped into his mouth, teasing at his own with wicked skill. He felt Kuroo's short nails bite against his scalp as he ran a hand up his chest, and Kuroo pulled back a moment, panting into the darkness.

“Come with me,” he implored, and pulled Daichi up the stairs and out onto the landing, never slowing. Hand in hand he led them through a corridor and around a few corners until they stood before a very tall and aberrant looking statue of a man with dragon features, sitting on a twisting throne. His great wings folded partially around him, his clawed hands on the arms of the twisting chair, legs spread wide. Kuroo took the three stairs on the statue right up to the seated man and pulled Daichi along with him, a wide grin set on his face. He whirled the Gryffindor captain around, pressing him back into the chair, right onto the statue's lap. He was so flustered and confused and he looked up at him in bemusement.

“Kuroo, what the hell are you-” Kuroo's lips curved smugly as he pressed down on one of the dragon-man's horns and the whole statue started to rotate. He leaned over Daichi so he didn't lose his balance, his slim legs fitting around one of Daichi's knees as their breaths mingled in the space between them.

When the statue came to a halt, they were in a dark alcove, a single torch lighting a space that was about the size of a coat closet not counting the area the statue actually took up. Heat blossomed across his face and down his chest as Kuroo's hands moved up his thighs and he realized the intent. He leaned close to Daichi's ear, and his senses filled with the heady fragrance of Kuroo's cologne, the warmth from his body making Daichi lean in to him.

“The school has these little hidey holes all over the place. I just happen to know about this one.” His voice was that soft rumble, sensual and dark, and it made him feel intoxicated in the small space. There was a jerk at his throat as Kuroo yanked his tie free, and he pulled him back in for a messy kiss, passionate and needy. Kuroo pushed the robe from his shoulders and Daichi shrugged out of it, his sweater pulled up just as fast. Oh god, this was really happening, no interruptions this time.

“K-Kuroo wait, this is kinda sudden.” His rival pulled back and he immediately regretted saying it. Golden eyes surveyed his face as warm fingertips brushed along his jaw.

“Ah, I...I'm sorry. I've just...wanted this so badly. I got carried away. We can stop.” Kuroo chewed his bottom lip, looking a bit sheepish and Daichi felt a tug deep in his chest.

“No, just, just, what are we doing? I don't want...just some hurried thing in a dark corner. I don't want it to be...” Just like all the rest. That was what he wanted to say, but it wrapped around his throat and refused to budge.

Kuroo gave him an unexpectedly soft look, fingertips trailing lightly down Daichi's throat as he sunk to his knees in front of him. It made it so that he looked up at Daichi instead of down on him as usual and it cast his face in a new light that made something in the Gryffindor captain's chest constrict.

“There are a lot of things I should say to you, Sawamura. But you kinda, caught me off-guard and I can't think of any of them to save my life right now. So, can I just, promise you that I'll think on it? Make it up to you? And in the meantime, let me...” his thumbs glided up the inseams of Daichi's pants causing him to suck in a breath, “just, take care of you?”

His eyes were dark and full of lust as he looked up at him, but he waited for Daichi to respond. His hands rested on his thighs lightly, just shy of the tent of his obvious erection. Daichi leaned back against the statue, his hand gliding through Kuroo's hair and the beautiful man before him closed his eyes and leaned into his touch. Rushing forward, he snagged Kuroo's mouth again, working slowly over his parted lips, tongue teasing at their edges until he felt a smile curve against him.

Deft hands popped the buttons of his shirt and Kuroo trailed open mouthed kisses down his neck and chest, a light scrape of teeth against his hip making him shudder. He tried not to think of how many times Kuroo had probably done this. His belt fell undone and a palm ground against his aching cock, tearing a grown from his throat.

“H-hey, say something nice to me,” he asked as Kuroo's tongue trailed along his abs, and he felt the button pop and the zipper part on his trousers.

“Oh, Daichi, I'm gonna swallow your cock like I'm starving and its the only source of-”

“F-fuck, no, no, I mean something nice! Just like, normal, nice!” Not that those words hadn't shot straight to his dick, and yeah, wow, he had liked Kuroo's dirty talk A LOT, both here and in the locker room, but he needed something that his rival wouldn't say to just any guy he brought here.

“Tell you what, I'm going to think of some very nice things and until I do, this,” and he pointed to his own straining pants, his erection just as obvious as Daichi's, “gets no attention. Only you.”

His hands ran up Daichi's torso, slow and hungry, his teeth pulling and snapping the waistband of his exposed boxer briefs. He tugged on the loosened pants and Daichi shifted, lifting his pelvis so that they could slide down and Kuroo breathed against the thin fabric covering him, obviously relishing his shudder. He tugged the band down, freeing his length, and wasted no time, giving him a long lick from base to tip that absolutely had him writhing.

That wicked tongue, that had so many times lashed him with cruelties, swiveled over his head, teasing at the slit as he struggled to keep his hips still. When Kuroo sank down over him, enveloping him in his warm mouth, he couldn't stop the moan that tore through him. Kuroo hummed in response, sending sinful vibrations along his cock. Daichi reached up, gripping the horns of the statue as his head fell back in ecstasy.

Daichi had never been a quick trigger, taking some pride in his ability to last. But watching Kuroo take him in with such intensity, his free hand running across his chest as the other put tantalizing pressure in the space between his shaft and his balls, tongue dancing along him...he was losing the battle fast. He made the mistake of looking down and seeing those golden eyes meet his under that messy hair and then...

Kurro sank down all the way to his base. He felt his cock hit the back of his throat and then he _swallowed_ , throat constricting around Daichi and the battle was lost. He didn't even have time to warn him before he was crying out 'Tetsurou, ahh!' as he came about as hard as he ever had in his whole life. His vision went white for a moment as his back bowed away from the statue.

And then he was breathing life back into his lungs, his hands tingling as searing kisses traced long his thighs and belly.

“God...” he breathed and Kuroo rumbled a laugh as he stood. The taller man helped him up so he could pull his pants back up, but his hands still found Kuroo, thumb dragging along his straining arousal. He hissed and took Daichi's wrist.

“Don't tempt me. Nice words first. I keep my bargains.” So instead, Daichi just pulled him into another kiss, passionate and deep, reveling in the moment he had so long believed impossible. Kuroo reached behind him and pressed the statue, beginning its slow spin back to the hallway and pulling on his robe.

Only when he reached for his own did he remember that Kuroo hadn't had one when they left the Slytherin common room. He was definitely wearing Daichi's robe now. He smirked at Daichi as he handed him his tie and sweater.

“I'm borrowing this. It'll make my trip back to the common room less awkward. You can get it back from me tomorrow night.” He winked and Daichi's heart absolutely fluttered. He stole one last kiss, his slender fingers lingering on Daichi's chin as he pulled away.

Watching him go was like the sweetest torment he had ever known. He was pretty sure the whole thing hadn't really sunk in yet, his brain turned to mush after this little rendezvous. But it was late and he had to get back to his dorm...He swiped a thumb along his bottom lip, remembering how Kuroo had felt and a smile pushed its way onto his face. Maybe...everything was going to be okay. They just had to get through the game and this initial mistrust. And he let himself hope, falling back into it like it was all he needed. And with his body still humming and the taste of Kuroo still on his mouth, he felt like, just maybe, it actually was. 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bold move, Daichi. Very bold move. 
> 
> The next two chapters will be from Kuroo’s perspective! Here’s hoping he can pull it off and tell Daichi all the nice things he deserves to hear. <3

The common room was mostly empty by the time Kuroo wandered back in. He’d lingered in the corridor, forehead pressed against the cool stone as he tried to calm the aching need that gripped him—willing himself to think about anything other than the feel of Daichi pressed against him, or the sound of his name on Daichi’s lips. 

It couldn’t be real. He would have thought he’d dreamt it all if it weren’t for the fact that he was standing here in a robe that didn't belong to him with the taste of Daichi still lingering on his tongue. He was so certain that Daichi would hate him forever after what had happened. Deep down he had hoped that he would have a chance to explain, but a bigger part of him knew that he didn’t deserve a second chance. He had been careless, and Sawamura deserved better.

But against all odds, a second chance is exactly what he had gotten. 

He had no idea how he was going to do it, but Kuroo knew for certain that he couldn’t fuck this up. He’d never be able to repay Akaashi, and he wouldn’t get another opportunity to make things right with Daichi. He hadn’t even known how badly he wanted that chance until he’d lost it, but now...when he thought about the look in Sawamura’s eye when he’d held out his hand and asked Kuroo to meet him halfway...

He headed straight for the dormitories, hoping to catch Akaashi before he turned in for the night, and he nearly tripped over his own feet when his friend called out to him from across the common room. 

“Kuroo-san,” Akaashi straightened up in the armchair he’d settled into. 

“Akaashi—I thought you’d be in bed by now.”

“Well,” he gave Kuroo a look that was thoroughly unimpressed. “You’ll remember that I room with Terushima-kun. He and Kyoutani-kun are...discussing things, and I’ve had entirely enough of other people’s relationships for one day.” 

Kuroo cackled and made his way over to lean against the back of the sofa. “Sorry about your luck. I don’t know how you put up with us.” Good for them though, he thought. He’d suspected there was something going on between the two of them. Really, it was about time; Yuuji and Kentarou had been dancing around each other for months. 

Akaashi hummed in annoyance, but his features softened a bit as he tipped his head toward Kuroo. “So...how did it go with Sawamura-san? Did you get to say everything you wanted to?”

“I thought you’d had enough of other people’s relationships for one day?” Kuroo said with a smirk, and Akaashi just shrugged his shoulders. “Well...there’s more to be said, but...he definitely doesn’t hate me.” He smiled and shook his head, “Thank you, Akaashi.”

Keiji smiled in return, “You’re welcome, Kuroo-san.” 

He could still hardly believe that Sawamura had been so bold as to confront him in his own common room, and in front of all of his friends. Well, luckily all but Oikawa. He’d never have forgiven himself if Tooru had been there to witness his very public confession. It was bad enough that Iwaizumi saw. He didn’t want to hurt his friends any more than he already had. 

Still though, he was glad that Akaashi had taken the risk to bring him there, and even more glad that Daichi was willing to confront him at all.

“Say, any idea where I could find your other half right now? I need his help with something.”

Akaashi flicked his gaze to the ornate clock adorning the mantelpiece. “He should still be in the library. He said he’s studying for N.E.W.T.s tonight with a few of his classmates.” 

Perfect! If he had any hope of pulling this off he was going to need some serious help, Akaashi had done enough, but Bokuto’s enthusiasm is exactly what he needed to make it happen. 

* * *

“Bokuto Koutarou! Just the man I was looking for,” Kuroo plopped down in the empty seat next to his friend who, like his study partners, was folded over his History of Magic book looking absolutely miserable. “Brought you something,” he said nudging him with his shoulder as he slid the emerald serpent brooch across the table. 

Koutarou’s eyes lit up as he looked back and forth between the pin and Kuroo’s face, “So wait...that means...Did it work!?” He shouted, bolting upright and then wincing when the librarian shushed him for what was probably not the first time of the night. 

Kuroo snickered, “Yeah man, it worked. Thanks for your help.” 

“Nah, I didn’t do anything. It was all Akaashi’s idea,” he said grinning brightly as he pinned the serpent to the collar of his robe. 

“You know, we _were_ trying to study here.” 

Kuroo shifted his gaze across the table to Bokuto’s two study mates, both of whom Kuroo knew from their years playing Quidditch—Hanamaki Takahiro, the Hufflepuff team Seeker, and Matsukawa Issei, a Beater for the Ravenclaws. They regarded him with raised eyebrows and unreadable expressions. 

“You guys do know that you can’t absorb information by just pressing your face against it, right? That’s definitely not how learning or osmosis works,” Kuroo drawled with a devilish smirk as he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Wait...what...what’s osmosis?” Bokuto looked helplessly between his book and his friends, his brow creasing with worry. “That’s not going to be on the exam is it?” 

Hanamaki was the first to break, his shoulders quaking with suppressed laughter as Matsukawa assured Bokuto that, “No, osmosis is definitely _not_ going to be on the History of Magic exam.”

“Listen, I know you guys are busy, but I really could use some help with something. I need some...ah...” he brought his palm up to cover the back of his neck where he’d felt a hot blush start to take hold and mumbled, “date ideas.”

“Date ideas? Oh, this is way better than History of Magic,” Hanamaki grinned, sitting up straighter and slapping his book closed. He leaned in conspiratorially, “Okay, what have you got so far?”

“Umm...nothing,” he gave an awkward chuckle, dragging a hand over his face. “I’ve never actually been on a real date...I have no idea what I’m doing here. This romance thing is new to me. All I know is that it has to be like...the best date ever.”

“Well, that rules out a trip to Hogsmeade,” Matsukawa said, abandoning his own study materials as he leaned back and clasped his hands behind his head. “That’s about as dull as dates get.”

Hanamaki gasped next to him, earning another sharp glare from the librarian, “Issei! Babe. Rude. Most of _our_ dates are to Hogsmeade.” 

“Hiro, when you’re with me I could never be bored,” Matsukawa deadpanned as Bokuto and Kuroo snickered. 

“You were just complaining about being bored not five minutes ago,” Hanamaki said, shoving at Matsukawa’s elbow where it jutted out just beside Hanamaki’s head. 

“Yeah,” he drawled, “but that’s because we’re not making out.”

“Shit, you’re right. Suddenly I feel overcome with boredom,” Hanamaki grinned lecherously, waggling his eyebrows as he slid one hand over Matsukawa’s thigh and leaned in to capture his mouth. 

“Ugh, come on. Not in front of the children,” Kuroo whined pretending to cover his and Bokuto’s eyes. “Do you guys have to be so gross about it?” 

“Bro! It’s not gross! It’s romantic!” Bokuto whisper-shouted, just quiet enough to avoid the librarian’s ire as he swatted Kuroo’s hand away. 

“Whatever. Besides, anything I choose needs to be something I can pull off by tomorrow night.”

“Okay, what about like...a picnic down by the lake?” Bokuto offered. “I know a few good spots. You just need a blanket to sit on, some snacks...Ooh! I bet you could find a couple bottles of butterbeer!” 

“Yeah, the weather should be nice tomorrow,” Hanamaki said with his head now resting against Matsukawa’s arm. “If you really want to ramp up the romance you could read some poetry or something.” 

“Who is this mystery person anyway?” Matsukawa asked, quirking one thick eyebrow as he carded his fingers absentmindedly through Hanamaki’s strawberry blond hair. “Maybe if we knew that we’d be more help.” 

He considered not telling them, but knowing how quickly the rumor mill turned, he knew the whole castle would be talking about what was witnessed in the Slytherin common room by this time tomorrow night. Kuroo hummed, “Somehow I doubt that very much, but it’s...um...it’s Sawamura.” 

“Oh my Gods, of course it is!” Hanamaki gasped, almost jolting straight out of his chair. “And you said you didn’t do romance. That’s already so romantic!” The other three at the table looked at him with expressions hovering between concern and confusion. 

“You know...captains of rival teams, the whole forbidden fruit angle. They’re star-crossed lovers!” he said, throwing his hands up. 

Star-crossed lovers... “Oh. Oh, holy shit. Hanamaki, you’re a genius!” Kuroo shouted as he jumped up from the table, drawing every eye in the room as the legs of his chair skidded across the stone floor. “I would kiss you right on the mouth if I wasn’t sure your boyfriend could knock me out.” 

Matsukawa shrugged his shoulders with a “meh” and the other two boys roared with laughter as Kuroo sprinted from the library, waving an apology to the poor librarian who looked like she had just about given up trying to quiet the rowdy table. 

He might actually be able to pull this off after all. 

* * *

Kuroo woke up early the next morning, heading straight toward the Great Hall. He’d spent several hours the night before devising a plan, and bribing some of his friends to help him out with the details. It would be risky, but it had to be if he really wanted to surprise his Gryffindor. Now he just had to make sure Daichi would show. He waited for him a little way down the hall outside the grand double doors, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back against the wall and watched sleepy students trickle by. 

When he spotted Sawamura headed his way he rocked forward, falling into stride next to him as he wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “G’morning sunshine,” he hummed, glancing around before landing a quick peck on Daichi’s cheek.

“Since when do you wake up this early?” Daichi grumbled, refusing to make eye contact with Kuroo as his cheeks pinked, but making no move to shrug his arm away. 

“Since never, but today’s a big day.” He leaned closer and lowered his voice, “See, there’s this guy I really want to impress, so I have to plan the best date ever.” Daichi looked up at him then with wide eyes. Kuroo winked at him, and his heart fluttered at the quiet smile he received in return. “Question for you though, Sa’amura. Have you ever missed curfew?”

He bit back a surprised laugh, “What? Of course not.” 

Kuroo snickered, dropping his arm away from Sawamura’s shoulders and shaking his head. “Of course not, you are such a _good boy_ after all,” he crooned with a smirk, looking at Daichi out of the corner of his eye and taking sweet delight in the fact that after everything that had transpired between them he could still make the other boy flush so easily. He cocked his head to look at him properly, “Any chance you’d be willing to make an exception?” 

Daichi stopped and turned toward him, giving him an appraising look with arms crossed over his chest and one eyebrow quirked in a high arch. “Not trying to get me into trouble the day before the big game, are you?” he asked suspiciously. Though his face didn’t give him away, there was a hint of a smile in his voice. 

“Never have I once _tried_ to get you into trouble.” Daichi stared at him with a dull expression, shifting his weight to his other foot as he narrowed his eyes. “Okay maybe once...or twice. Daichi just...trust me? Just this once? I promise it’ll all be worth it. And if it’s not then I...I won’t bother you again.” Kuroo ran a hand awkwardly over the back of his neck.

Sawamura sighed, lowering his arms in surrender. “Okay...fine. What did you have in mind?”

“Know where the Room off Requirement is?” Daichi nodded. “Meet me in that hall an hour before curfew.” 

“Okay, I’ll be there.” Daichi gestured with his thumb toward the Great Hall. “Hey, since you’re up, you want to maybe have breakfast with me?”

“Can’t!” Kuroo said, already walking away. “Already told you, I’ve got a big date to get ready for!” 

* * *

Kuroo’s classes could not have moved more slowly. Each hour felt like it lasted an eternity; he almost wondered if someone had pulled a prank and cast a spell that made all the clocks run slow. In between classes and during lunch he had spent every moment paging through books of poetry looking for just the right thing. He may not have been a romantic, but poetry seemed like an easy and maybe less vulnerable way to explain how he felt. So far he had come up empty handed, but he still had a few hours to figure something out. 

At least now he had finally made it to Charms class. This was one of the few classes he had with Daichi, and he could only hope that having him so close would help him find a way to either focus on his classwork, or focus on what he planned to say to him when they met later. 

Sawamura was seated at the front of the room next to that cute dark haired girl from his team. Kuroo couldn’t remember her name, but he recognized her from their games...and from that terribly awkward incident in their previous class when Washijo had booted her to the back of the room to exchange seats with Kuroo. 

He took a seat on the same side of the room as Daichi, leaving a few rows in between them. Maybe this way he wouldn’t be caught staring. If he kept his eyes toward the front of the room, it would just look like he was paying attention. Studious. That’ll totally work. 

Except he should have known that a class with Professor Washijo would never be that simple. His eyes were on him as soon as he stepped in the door, fierce and probing; he seemed to know something was off about Kuroo. He fired off questions all through the lecture, calling on Kuroo every few minutes despite the fact that he hadn’t once raised his hand to be called on. 

It was near the end of the class when his luck finally ran out. It had been several minutes, and several rounds of questions since Washijo had called on him. He let his guard drop and his mind wander. 

“Kuroo?!” he heard his name called, harsh and accusatory, and it snapped him out of his daydream. He opened his mouth to try and form some sort of response, but he hadn’t even heard the question. 

“The back of Sawamura’s head must be fascinating, because you’ve spent the better part of my lecture staring at it.”

Washijo pinned him with that intimidating scowl, and Kuroo closed his jaw so fast his teeth clicked together. He felt his face growing hot, and the blood rushing in his ears blocked out the sounds of his classmates’ reactions. He could see movement in the front row out of the corner of his eye, but didn’t dare look at Daichi after being so directly called out. 

He held the professor’s gaze until Washijo said harshly, “I expect better from you. Pay attention. If I have to tell you again I’ll deduct points for it.” 

As soon as Professor Washijo turned away to continue the lecture Kuroo slumped down in his seat, cheeks burning and eyes firmly fixed on the book in front of him. _‘It’s fine. Almost done. Just make it through the end of this class,’_ he repeated in his head like a mantra. 

When the bell finally rang he let out a sigh of relief, quickly gathering up his books and his notes into his arms and heading for the door. 

“Kuroo, come see me.” 

He cringed and swallowed hard as he stopped mid-stride. He could feel Daichi’s eyes on him as he turned and made his way toward the front of the room, but he didn’t dare look up. Washijo had already taken one shot at him in front of everyone. He wouldn’t give him any more ammunition. Every step forward felt heavy with dread as the rest of the class filed out behind him.

Kuroo didn’t speak a word when he reached the front of the room. He stood quietly, clutching his books to his chest, and using every ounce of his willpower to keep his hands from shaking. The last time they had spoken like this Washijo had threatened to remove him as Captain. He could hardly breathe with the weight of that threat bearing down on him now. 

“Quite a big day tomorrow, Captain,” Washijo began, not bothering to look up at Kuroo from the stack of papers he was arranging on his desk. “This is as close as I’ve come in years to winning both the Quidditch and the House Cups back from the Gryffindors. Now imagine my surprise when, this morning, a very disturbing rumor makes its way to my ear. Care to explain?” 

At that moment he glanced up at Kuroo, his sharp eyes running him through with accusation. Kuroo tightened his fingers around his textbook, but otherwise kept his reaction muted. He couldn’t possibly know, could he? There’s no way that any of his classmates would have reported him to Washijo. He knew that word of what had happened would get out. A Gryffindor in the Slytherin common room, coupled with a confession between rivals—that was about as dramatic as it gets, and Hogwarts students do love their gossip—but he hadn’t even considered the repercussions if the Slytherin head of house were to find out. 

“Well, Sir, I try not to put too much stock in rumors.” His voice came out steady and clear despite the anxiousness coursing through him. 

“Hm, yes. _Rumors_. I’ve spoken with the prefects, all of whom have assured me that they are just that. _Rumors_ ,” he crinkled his nose and grimaced like the word had left a bad taste in his mouth. “But understand this, Kuroo. If I find out that these accusations are true, rest assured that every single person responsible will be held accountable.” 

“I’d expect nothing less from you...Sir,” his heart rate quickened as soon as the words left his tongue. He hadn’t intended that to come out as harshly as it did. He’d never spoken to Washijo with anything less than respect, but the thinly veiled threat against his friends made his blood boil. For the Devil Professor, holding someone accountable would mean dire consequences for them all. 

Washijo stepped out from behind his desk and stalked toward Kuroo where he stood at the front of the room. Kuroo may have been a full foot taller than the man, but he had never felt so small in his life. Washijo pinned him there with his gaze, brow furrowed and eyes sparking with a fire that Kuroo had seen only a few times before, but had hoped would never be directed at him. 

“I have always known you to be focused when it counts, Kuroo, but now when it truly matters it seems you haven’t a care for where your loyalties lie. I wonder...what will happen if you don’t procure a victory tomorrow? _Tch_...professional quidditch player. I can’t think of a single team who would have you given the way your allegiances change with the seasons.” 

Kuroo’s jaw dropped open at the reproach. It wasn’t the first time that the professor had accused him of not having Slytherin’s best interests at heart, but for him to imply that Kuroo couldn’t be trusted to do what needed to be done? “I don’t understand. My loyalty is to my team. That hasn’t changed,” he shot back, struggling to maintain his composure in front of the man who held so much of Kuroo’s future in his hands. 

“Ah yes, as evidenced by your sudden fondness for Gryffindor’s golden boy.” 

There it is, he thought to himself. The real reason he dragged me up here for this lecture. Kuroo smiled, but there was a harsh edge to his voice, “You know the old saying. Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.” 

“Not _that_ close,” Washijo shouted, making Kuroo flinch. “Don’t misunderstand me. I could care less where your... _proclivities_ lie. But I’ll not have you sully the Slytherin name because you prefer to fraternize with our enemy. You will win the game, and you will secure the Quidditch Cup, and if you do not then what happens to you from there is none of my concern. Your future is yours to make or to unmake. You’ve come this far, Kuroo. Do not disappoint me.” 

With that Washijo spun on his heel and stomped toward his office door near the back of the room. His robes billowed after him as he stormed through the door, slamming it and leaving Kuroo trembling with fear and rage on the other side. 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys. This is the best thing I’ve ever written. Hands down. I can retire now. Peak reached. 
> 
> (Just kidding...still have to end this story before I retire.) 
> 
> Am I posting this just after midnight? Yes. I have no chill. 
> 
> (≧◡≦) ♡

Kuroo waited on the seventh floor near the Room of Requirement for Sawamura. With Daichi’s robe draped over his arm he studied the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, sincerely hoping that what he was about to attempt wasn’t as foolish as ‘ol Barnabas trying to teach trolls how to dance ballet. 

He had calmed down a bit from his interaction with Washijo. Though the harsh words still rang in his mind, he felt more determined than ever to make sure that by the end of the night he told Daichi everything that he had been too confused, or embarrassed, or afraid to say to him before. He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn’t notice that Sawamura had joined him until he felt a warm hand smooth across his shoulder blades. 

“Hey,” Daichi said gently as he gave his shoulder a squeeze. “You okay?” Kuroo could see the worry printed across his face, but he wasn’t about to spend another second standing in this hallway worrying about things he had no control over while the little time he had with Sawamura ticked away. 

“Yeah, fine. You ready?” Daichi looked nervous but nodded his head. Kuroo held out his robe, helping him to slip it on over his sweater. “Before anything I need to tell you,” Kuroo hesitated for just a moment, looking down at his feet and gathering his courage before he met Daichi’s eyes. “That thing that happened before, in the locker room with Oikawa…I’m really sorry for how I handled that. We were...I mean, I was...involved with him. Him and Iwaizumi. And Terushima too, I guess. But we’re not um… _involved..._ anymore. I just...thought you should know…”

Gods, his face burned with the admission as his words trailed off, and he held his breath waiting for Daichi to respond. He half expected him to turn around and leave, but felt relief wash over him when Daichi held his gaze and gave him a solemn nod.

“Thank you. For telling me,” he said simply. Kuroo breathed out. His head still buzzed with anxiety and anticipation, but he felt some of the tension ease from his shoulders. 

“Yeah. Okay, follow me,” he said as he abruptly spun on his heel and headed down the corridor.

Daichi trotted after him, looking back over his shoulder the way they had come, “Wha...wait. Where are we going?”

“You’ll see,” Kuroo teased as he flashed him a grin. Sawamura followed him until they rounded a corner and came to a dead end. 

There were no doors, or tapestries, or secret alcoves—just a beautifully ornate stained glass window standing almost floor-to-ceiling at the end of the hall. The scene was colorful, depicting a falling star trailing through the night sky over Hogwarts castle. The windows of the castle glowed a deep amber, and the stars in the twilight scene almost seemed to twinkle at them.

Kuroo stepped up to the window, pressing his palm against one of the star shapes along the left side of the glass. The window popped open, swinging outward and making Daichi gasp behind him when he hopped up over the lip and onto the ledge. 

“Kuroo...”

He turned back, reaching out his hand toward Daichi. “Trust me.” 

Daichi swallowed hard, Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat, but he looked determined as he reached out and took Kuroo’s hand, giving it a squeeze as he followed him through the window and onto the ledge outside. 

The ledge was about three feet wide, and hugged the wall of the castle. Plenty of room for a person to walk comfortably without risk of slipping over the outer edge. Even so, it was dangerous with the way the wind whipped through their hair and teased at the edges of their robes, though the fluttering in his chest had nothing to do with the steep drop. 

“Don’t look down,” Kuroo warned over his shoulder. He kept hold of Daichi’s hand as he carefully led them to the end of the walkway where a set of stair-stepped stones led up to the rooftop. They made their way quietly along, following a path marked out by trailing stars carved into the stonework—a path Kuroo had discovered by accident several years before in his exploration of the castle, one that was easy to overlook if you didn’t know it was there to begin with. 

They walked along the roofline, navigating around peaks and smokestacks until they came to a set of short steps leading up to a circular platform. It was perfectly situated, high above the rest of the castle and out of view of any of the tower windows. All across the top of the platform, etched into the stone, were the same star images that had lined the path from the window. Kuroo had arranged a blanket right in the center, spread out over the constellations. 

“What is this place?” Daichi asked in a low whisper. 

“This is the best kept secret of Hogwarts. It probably used to be a stargazing platform back when astrology had a bigger focus in the curriculum,” he explained as Daichi gaped at the view of the landscape that stretched out miles around them in every direction. “Pretty sure no one else knows about it now, though. I’ve been coming up here for years...whenever I felt like I needed a break from everything, or just...needed some perspective.”

Their hands were still clasped between them when Kuroo pulled him out to the center of the platform. He watched Sawamura take in the view as dusk settled over the landscape, smiling as he tilted his head up to catch the first few stars twinkling to life overhead. 

“Kuroo, this is amazing.” 

Daichi’s voice was soft and reverent, like Kuroo had never heard before. Their entire relationship up to this point had revolved around what sort of fiery reaction they could pull out of the other. It made his heart stutter in his chest to know that he had been able to draw out something so soft, awestruck, and joyful out of him instead. 

“I thought you might like it. I’ve actually never told anyone about this place before.” He ran his free hand over the back of his neck as Daichi turned toward him with wide eyes. 

“Never?” he asked, stepping close and tilting his face up toward Kuroo who smiled and let his hand fall back to his side. 

“Nope. Not a single soul,” he said. “Just you.” Before he could say any more Daichi reached up and pulled him in for a deep kiss. 

The moment their lips slid together Kuroo felt a knot loosen in his chest. Each time their mouths had met, Kuroo felt the breath pulled from his lungs, but this time he didn’t feel breathless. It felt like for the first time all day he could finally breathe, and he let Daichi fill his lungs as he braced a hand over his hip. 

He touched his forehead to Sawamura’s when he pulled back, looking just as dazed as Kuroo felt, the color on his cheeks accented by the pinks and oranges painted across the sky by the slowly setting sun. 

“C’mon, let’s sit. I’ve got a couple more surprises for you.” Kuroo guided him down onto the quilt top, finally uncoupling their hands so he could reach into a small canvas bag he had placed off to the side of the blanket. He pulled out two bottles of butter beer from inside and popped the caps off with a bottle opener he had fished out of the bottom of the bag before handing one to Daichi. “How do you feel about chocolate frogs?” Kuroo asked, producing two packages. 

Daichi laughed, warm and content as he sipped at his butterbeer. “I like them. But I mostly like to watch them hop around.”

“Do they hop around? I thought they only had one good jump in them,” Kuroo wondered aloud as he placed the treats down between them before lifting his bottle of butterbeer to his lips. He usually just popped them right in his mouth and dug into the package for the collectors card. He didn’t care much for the jumping.

“Well, they’ve got one big jump, but they move around a bit until the magic wears out.” Daichi looked down at the bottle in his hands mumbling quietly, “They’re just...kinda...cute?”

“Cute?” Kuroo nearly aspirated his drink. Daichi patted him on the back as he sputtered out, “That’s...that’s so...” _Precious. Adorable. So cute I can’t form complete sentences,_ Kuroo thought in a rush that burst out of him in the form of unbridled laughter that echoed across the rooftop. _“_ Do you even eat them?”

“Ugh, I shouldn’t have told you. Yes I eat them! I just like to...let them hop around first,” Daichi dragged a hand over his eyes before taking a long swig of his drink. “How about this, have you ever raced frogs?” 

“Raced...chocolate frogs,” Kuroo deadpanned. “No, can’t say that I have. How does one race a chocolate frog?”

“Okay, so they really do only have the one good jump in them. It’s usually the first leap that really launches them. So...you line up your frogs, and whoever’s frog jumps farthest wins.” 

“Ohoho, okay. And what does the winner get? If we’re gonna do it there has to be a grand prize,” his eyes tracked not so subtly to Sawamura’s mouth. 

“Hmm...how about...whoever wins gets to ask the other one question. Any question, and the loser has to answer.” 

Kuroo considered it for a moment. Daichi had already made him confess in front of nearly his entire house, and he had come here tonight planning to offer up some truths. But there were definitely things that he’d like to ask Daichi. If he won Daichi would have to answer. 

“Loser has to answer _truthfully_ ,” Daichi amended. No loopholes, that’s fine. Kuroo raised his bottle and Sawamura clinked his own against it, sealing their pact. 

“Deal. Okay, Sa’amura. Select your champion.” He gestured toward the packages between them, offering Daichi first pick. He chose the package closest to Kuroo’s folded knee, and Kuroo swiped up the other. They both carefully peeled back the wrapping to unveil their jumpers. 

Kuroo pinched his frog between his thumb and pointer finger while Daichi cradled his in the palm of his hand. They both sat cross-legged, placing their frogs down in line with each other on the blanket next to their folded knees. Kuroo kept a tight hold, but Daichi placed only one finger on his frog’s spine gently holding it in place. 

“Okay, ready?” Daichi asked with a smug grin and a sparkle in his eye. “Let go on three. One. Two. Three.”

As soon as he let go Kuroo’s frog took a tremendous leap, landing about a foot shy of the edge of the blanket. It looked around a bit before it froze up, the magic exhausted. Daichi’s frog still hadn’t moved, and Kuroo looked up at him with victory in his eyes, but his confidence faltered when he caught sight of his expression. 

“Wha...”

Sawamura’s frog looked around, stretching each one of its little legs before taking three short hops. Then with all the magic left in it’s chocolate body it took one mighty leap sending it straight off the edge of the blanket. 

Kuroo gaped at the winning frog, now motionless while Daichi laughed beside him. He leaned forward on his knees to collect their hoppers, dropping Kuroo’s in his palm with mischief twinkling in his eye. 

“You cheater! How did you—?” 

Sawamura shrugged his shoulders and popped the winning frog into his mouth. “I’m good with frogs.”

“Okay, fine. What’s your question then?” He asked with a pout, devouring the losing frog in one bite. 

“Hmm. No lies,” Daichi said, suddenly serious. “I want the whole truth.” Kuroo nodded at him to continue. “What happened with Professor Washijo today?” 

He sighed heavily, focusing on the bottle of butter beer that he’d picked up again. “You really want to know?” 

Kuroo could tell from the look on Daichi’s face that if he refused to answer, he wouldn’t push it. Daichi was just worried. And he had every right to be, but Kuroo couldn’t help but feel like this was a lot of sensitive information to be offering up to someone who, at the end of the day, was still his rival. They’d have to face off against each other tomorrow. If Daichi found a way to use it against him it would be devastating. 

He shook off the thought. He couldn’t ask for Sawamura to trust him without offering the same in return. Not when he felt like the question was Daichi, once again, asking him to meet him halfway. 

“You want to be an Auror after you graduate, right?” 

“You can’t just answer a question with another question, Kuroo.”

“Come on, it’s relevant.” 

Daichi considered him for a moment before he hummed and nodded his head, “Yeah, I do want to be an Auror.” 

“Well, I want to play quidditch. Professionally, I mean. To do that—to catch the attention from the teams I really want to play for—I have to win the Quidditch Cup this year. We’ve come close, but Slytherin hasn’t won in years. That would be huge for me to be able to say that I helped make that happen.”

“So that’s what you meant,” Daichi said under his breath. When Kuroo cocked his head at him he added, “Oh, in the common room before...I heard you talking to your team.”

“Ahh, well. Washijo thinks...” He sighed heavily, “I don’t really know what he thinks. He talks like he doesn’t trust me to continue leading the team, but even after threatening it he didn’t take Captain away from me, and he doesn’t make idle threats.” 

“Then what was that all about today? Other than him having a reputation as Devil Professor to uphold?”

“Well...he definitely doesn’t care much for you.” At the look on Daichi’s face he added, “Not that it’s you, specifically. It would be the same with any other person from any other house. Any house but Slytherin, I guess.” He huffed a dry humorless laugh. “He more or less said that without the win I’m on my own. There’s no way he’d write me recommendation letters, or help me set up interviews. He may be the Devil Professor, but his word and his opinion hold a lot of weight in a lot of places.” 

“Shit. What are you going to do if...if you don’t win?” 

“Doesn’t matter. I _am_ going to win.” He bumped their shoulders together with a grin, jostling Sawamura. “But...on the off chance you best me, I guess I’d figure it out. Just like I always do. The one thing I’m not going to do is let that old boggart tell me who I can and cannot associate with. Fuck that,” he could feel the anger seeping back in, making him clench and unclench the fist that wasn’t wrapped around the neck of his bottle.

“Well, you’re braver than I am. That guy is way too intense.”

“Nah, you’re plenty brave,” he said catching his eye. Kuroo didn’t feel brave. Not compared to Sawamura who, time and time again had been the one to take the leap of faith. “You know, the one thing he said that made any sense was that the future is mine...‘to make or to unmake.’ He meant it as a threat, but...” He sighed again, swallowing down the last of his butterbeer before turning to Daichi. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. It doesn’t matter what he says. I’ll be fine. With or without his help. He said it himself, the future is mine to make...it’s not something he can take away from me.”

They sat quietly for a while, watching the stars appear. Being this high up meant the only sound they could hear was the gentle breeze as it ruffled their hair. It was soothing being this close to Sawamura, and he felt himself relax bit by bit just listening to the steady rhythm of his breath next to him. 

“Hey, what wizard did you get?” Daichi asked as he rescued the collectors card from his discarded chocolate frog wrappings. 

Kuroo peeled his card out, holding it up in the fading light. “Well, would you look at that. Harry Potter, The Chosen One,” he laughed. “Of course, out of all the wizards I wind up with THE Gryffindor.” 

Sawamura huffed a laugh of his own. “And of course I’d choose the Slytherin,” he said, shaking his head as he held up his card for Kuroo to see, an image of Draco Malfoy smirking back at him. “That’s what we call irony. Only, I’m not sure if it’s poetic or tragic.” 

“Speaking of...want to know something kind of funny?” He ducked his head, feeling his face heat up. “I spent a ridiculous amount of time today trying to find a...uh...poem or something that I could read to you.” 

Sawamura looked at him, disbelief written across his face, before he tipped his head back with laughter, slumping over sideways onto the blanket as his shoulders shook. 

“Hey, it’s not _that_ funny! I told you I don’t know how to do...this,” he said gesturing between the two of them. He could feel his cheeks flush with embarrassment, but the way Daichi’s eyes crinkled around the edges made Kuroo want to take his face into his hands and kiss him breathless. “Give me a break, I’m trying to do the romance thing,” he mumbled. 

“Yeah, I got that. I just didn’t peg you for the poetic type.” Daichi grinned up at him, settling down so that they were now lying across the blanket head-to-foot, both leaned back on their elbows with their faces angled up toward the stars. 

“Well, I did promise to say nice things to you. And come on, I mean, someone’s already done the hard part and written the thing, right? You’d think all I’d have to do is point to it. But I couldn’t find a single thing. Not a single line of poetry that fit the weight of this fucking thing in my chest that’s been trying to claw its way out all week.” Kuroo clutched at the front of his sweater right over his heart. 

“Sounds like you should have been watching Alien movies instead of reading poetry.” Daichi laughed, but it was softer than before. The air between them warmed—simmering with a heat that hadn’t been there just a moment ago.

“Come on, man. I’m serious,” Kuroo said, swatting at Daichi’s leg. 

“Alright, alright.” Daichi sat back up, propping himself up with his hands outstretched behind him so that he was looking at Kuroo instead of up at the sky. “So, Mr. Romantic, what was wrong with them all? Why didn’t they fit?” 

“Why didn’t they fit?” Kuroo let the words roll slowly off his tongue with a low rumbling laugh, voice light and airy when he asked, “Well, Sa’amura, shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” 

“Oh Gods, please not that one,” Daichi snickered, bumping his shoulder against Kuroo’s bent knee. 

“Right?!” Kuroo sat up, resting his arms over his knees and bringing his face closer to Sawamura’s. “I don’t know...it’s like, none of the metaphors were quite right. You’re sure as hell not a summer’s day, unless that means hotter than sin. Which is actually really accurate, now that you mention it.” He laughed as Sawamura groaned behind his hands next to him. Kuroo knew Daichi would be flushed bright red by now if not for the darkness that had settled in around them. 

He stretched one arm upward, spreading his fingers wide as he reached out toward the heavens that sparkled down at them. “All these poems talked about the sun, and the moon, and the stars. But Daichi, you’re not like any of those things,” he said turning toward him and letting his hand fall back down.

The look on Sawamura’s face—eyes widened, and lips falling barely open around a shallow breath—made Kuroo tense up, but he couldn’t let his nerves stop him now. He took a moment to find the words before he gave in to that magnetic pull drawing him in, scooting closer to narrow the space between them. 

“You...you’re not just the sun. You’re more like...the fire that keeps it burning so bright every day.” The quiet gasp from Daichi spurred him on. “And you’re not the moon. You’re the push and pull of gravity that fuels the wind and moves the tides.” 

Kuroo reached out and threaded his fingers through Sawamura’s trembling ones.

“You’re not the stars, Daichi, you’re the goddamn magic that holds the stars up in the sky. And the closer we get to N.E.W.T.s, and graduation, and the future the more I know that without you in my life the stars may as well fall, because they’ll never shine as brightly as they do in the moments like this.” Kuroo cupped the side of Sawamura’s face with his other hand, brushing his thumb across his cheek, “When I can spend at least a little while pretending that you like me even half as much as I like you, and that we both want to make whatever this is work.”

“K-kuroo, that’s...what about...” Daichi leaned into his touch, hesitating for just a moment before he sighed, his breath puffing hot over Kuroo’s palm. “I don’t want you to put your entire future on the line for me.” 

Kuroo hadn’t quite meant to say everything he’d just poured out to Daichi, the words had just flowed from him, but now he knew without a doubt that he’d never felt so sure of anything in all his life. “I’m not,” he shook his head and leaned in whispering over Daichi’s lips, “not if you are my future.”

They moved forward at the same time, mouths sliding together as Daichi’s hand found the nape of his neck. Sawamura’s calloused palm curled around the back of his head, holding him steady so he could slip his tongue between his parted lips. He kissed Kuroo with a fervor that he hadn’t yet shown—not in the hallway, or the locker room, or their stolen moments the night before. The tenderness and the emotion he felt in Daichi’s touch made his skin tingle as electricity spidered outward from the places they connected.

“You’re an idiot,” Daichi said when he pulled back for a breath. Kuroo’s head was still spinning. He didn’t have a chance to react before Sawamura tightened his fingers in his hair. “After everything that happened this week you still think that you’re alone in this?” 

Kuroo was pulled against him again, their mouths crashing together and tongues finding each other instantly as Kuroo twisted his hands into the collar of Daichi’s robe. He hadn’t known if he was allowed to want the things he wanted from Daichi. Thought it unfathomable that his feelings could be returned with the same intensity, and yet...

“You never had to pretend,” Sawamura gasped between panting breaths and presses of lips. “I want this. Tetsurou—I want you.” 

Kuroo’s heart pounded in his chest and he made a soft sound in his throat as Daichi leaned into him, easing him backward onto the blanketed stone. He tipped his head back as Daichi shifted over him to mouth along the sensitive curve of his jawline. Their legs tangled, and his breaths came quick and shallow as Daichi dragged his tongue along his skin and rolled their hips together. 

“I want you,” Daichi said, pressing the words into him with lips and tongue like hot iron against his flesh. 

“I’m yours,” he breathed out with a gasp, just barely loud enough to hear over the sound of the blood rushing in his ears. Daichi paused his ministrations, moving up to hover over Kuroo’s mouth.

“What did you say?” Kuroo couldn’t make out his expression in the darkness, but the starlight made his eyes sparkle with something like hope as he gazed down at Kuroo. 

“You heard me,” he challenged, knowing somewhere in the back of his mind that he should be horrified, or at least a little embarrassed at the admission that slipped so freely from him. He couldn’t bring himself to care with thick forearms and massive thighs caging him in. He was more surprised to find that he didn't want to take it back. 

“Say it. Say that again.” 

“...I’m _yours_ , Daichi.” 

Sawamura made a low sound like a growl before he bowed down to recapture Kuroo’s mouth, hands pulling at fabric to clumsily rid them of their many layers. Their robes and sweaters were cast aside, ties loosened and discarded between kisses and heavy breaths. Shaking fingers tugged at buttons to reveal smooth expanses of chest and stomach, glowing in the soft silvery light from stars that stretched out endlessly over the heavens above them. 

Kuroo fumbled into a pocket of his robe as Daichi peeled his trousers and briefs down his legs, trailing teeth and tongue along the lines of muscle he exposed to the night air. Kuroo was grateful for the darkness masking the flustered blush he felt burning on his face as he pressed a small bottle and a foil square into Daichi’s palm. He’d tossed them into his pocket as an afterthought, not intending to take things this far, but thankful now that he’d at least thought to come prepared. 

He heard the cap of the bottle flick open and the slick sound of lube warming on fingers as Daichi positioned himself between his spread legs. Even in the darkness Kuroo felt laid bare before him. Flayed open, and exposed to this beguiling creature in a way that he hadn’t even felt with the Skin Map spell, and he didn’t know what to do with that feeling. He gasped at the first slide of fingers over his entrance, biting his lip between his teeth to contain the broken keening sounds in his throat as Daichi teased at his rim and then pressed into him with one thick digit.

“Shh, hey I’ve got you,” Daichi whispered, his hot breath making Kuroo shudder as he leaned over him and pressed a kiss into his temple. “Relax for me, beautiful,” he said as Kuroo felt his other hand curl around his throbbing cock with a soft, “Let me take care of you this time.” 

He didn’t trust himself with words, could feel the babbling pleas pile up on his tongue, so he nodded and kept quiet. Daichi’s hand around him was enough of a distraction from the initial discomfort, and he soon added a second finger. The burning stretch lit a fire in his belly that made him ache with need. Daichi worked him open slowly, carefully, pumping his other hand over his cock and dragging a thumb over his slit until Kuroo’s back was arched off the stone. Reduced to a writhing panting mess with the slick drag of fingers against his walls—all while Daichi whispered sweet words into the night air.

“ _Aah!_ —Daichi— _Fuck,_ I need—” Sawamura chose that moment to curl his fingers, pressing deep against that sensitive bundle of nerves that had Kuroo gasping and seeing stars whether his eyes were opened or closed. 

“I know what you need,” Daichi hummed into his jaw, trailing kisses down his neck and chest and pausing to tease his tongue over a nipple. Kuroo arched up into the feeling as Daichi worked a third finger in alongside the others, drawing a throaty moan from him when he brushed the pads of his fingers over his most sensitive spot. “If you ask nicely maybe I’ll give it to you.” 

“ _Shit—_ You’re the devil, you know that?” 

“Oh, so you want me to stop?” Kuroo gasped as Daichi pulled his hand back, almost far enough to fully withdraw.

“Don’t—“ he said quickly. “Don’t stop. _Fuck,_ Sa’amura.” 

“That is the idea, sweetheart. But if you don’t want to then maybe I’ll just make you come like this,” Daichi thrust in deep, scissoring his fingers and just barely dragging over his prostate. 

Kuroo had no snappy comebacks, or biting retorts, just an aching need that threatened to devour him from within as his head tipped back with a moan and his fingers twisted into the quilt top. 

“Daichi— _shit—_ p-please—please, just fuck me,” Daichi thrust into him a few more times, and Kuroo nearly sobbed when he pulled his hand free, leaving him empty and wanting. 

“Anything for you, Tetsurou,” he hummed against his lips as he stripped off his pants and boxers, tossing them aside when he leaned back.

The air was cool against his skin without Daichi’s warmth surrounding him, but Kuroo only felt the chill for a moment before he was pulled up by his shoulders, guided to straddle Daichi’s lap with calloused hands over his hip bones—strong and firm, but gentle as they eased him forward. Another curse slipped between his lips with a stuttered breath when their cocks brushed together. 

“So sensitive. I like you like this...needy...desperate,” Daichi said nuzzling into the soft curve of his throat. “So beautiful, Tetsu.” Kuroo opened his mouth but the protest died on his lips, replaced by a surprised moan when Daichi gripped his ass tight, pulling him forward to grind their erections together.

“ _Shit._ Don’t get used to it,” Kuroo murmured, taking advantage of their position to wrap his long fingers around them both, reveling in the way Daichi pulsed against him as he thrust his hips forward to drag the head of his cock along the underside of Daichi’s. “Next time I’m going to bend you over and fuck you so hard you’re gonna feel my dick in the back of your throat.” 

“Think so, huh? Sure that’s not what _you_ want?” Daichi asked, still sounding remarkably unaffected as he spread Kuroo’s cheeks to tease the pad of his middle finger over his entrance. “To take me so deep you can still feel me tomorrow?” He pressed down over the ring of muscle sending a jolt straight to Kuroo’s dick where it jerked against his palm. 

_Fuuuck—_ If he was being honest with himself, Daichi was right, he _was_ desperate and needy. He’d never needed something more in his entire life than he needed to feel Daichi _right now_ —taking him apart from the inside out.

Breathless he gasped out, “I feel like I’m seeing a new side of you, Sa’amura. I like it.” 

“I guess we’re both just full of surprises,” he chuckled as Kuroo raised up onto his knees, fumbling his hand across the blanket until he found the condom. He tore open the corner, ducking down to seal his mouth against Sawamura’s again as he rolled it over his heavy length. 

Kuroo lowered his hips until he could feel the blunt head of Daichi’s cock pressed against his entrance. He sank down slowly over him, mouths still sealed together and sharing shallow breaths as he took him in inch by inch until he was fully seated on his cock. Daichi groaned into his chest when their hips met, clutching hard at his thighs, and Kuroo’s head tipped back with a soundless cry. He took a moment to adjust to the feeling, breathing heavily into Daichi’s temple as the thick pressure threatened to overwhelm him. 

He raised up, tentatively, just an inch or two at a time before dropping his hips back down. He tried to focus on the feel of Daichi’s hands raking across his bare skin, up his thighs and across his back. The warm wet press of lips against his collar bone. Tried to focus on the way the breath caught their voices on the way out forcing soft _ha’s_ and _aah’s_ that mingled in the space between them. The burning in his muscles as they fell into a steady pace. Anything to avoid the feeling that had been building in his chest. 

Sex had never felt like this— _he_ had never felt like this—and Daichi wanted him too. It was all at once exhilarating and terrifying, and almost too much to handle. So he let himself get lost in the heat, and the friction, and the staccato rhythm of their hips. 

“Tetsu will you— _hah_ —say it—say it again,” Daichi stuttered through heaving breaths, gripping his hips and guiding him down over his cock greedily—possessively. 

A smile tugged at the corners of Kuroo’s mouth as he paused their motions, touching his forehead to Daichi’s and raking a hand through his cropped hair. “I’m yours,” he whispered. “All yours, Daichi.” 

Sawamura’s hands flexed into a bruising grip, fingertips digging into sensitive flesh as Kuroo felt Daichi’s breath hitch and cock pulse inside him. _“Hah!—Tetsurou!”_ They collided, lips parting instantly for their tongues to meet in the middle, a flurry of nips and licks and throaty cries passed mouth to mouth. 

Daichi shifted his weight to lay Kuroo back onto the quilt, and he wrapped a hand around him, pumping over his length in time with the quick movement of his hips. He held himself up with his other arm and Kuroo hooked his long legs over Daichi’s hips, the new angle striking the perfect spot to make his toes curl and erase all other thoughts but, _“Yes—Dai—Yours—Fuck—Don’t stop.”_

Daichi’s hips stuttered and he buried himself deep as he came with Tetsurou’s name on his lips. It was enough to send Kuroo toppling over the edge, spilling between them as his senses filled with Sawamura. 

They stayed like that, bathed in moonlight and stardust, breathing in each other’s humid air while the shaking in their limbs quieted. 

Kuroo reached out blindly for his boxers, figuring that was a better option than using the sleeve of his shirt to clean the slick mess from his thighs and chest. When Sawamura pulled away to drop down onto the stone beside him neither of them made a move to redress or pack away their things.

Tomorrow they would have to forget everything—maybe not forget, but they would have to go back to being rivals. Kuroo didn’t know how to do that, but when Sawamura leaned over to kiss him once more beneath the swirling constellations, gently brushing his bangs back and cupping his cheek with those sure fingers, he found he didn’t mind. The future was uncertain, but it belonged to him and to Daichi, and no one was going to take that away from them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cat and I have been waiting MONTHS to release this into the world. Please please PLEASE tell us what you think! We’ve been dying to scream about it for so long!
> 
> Getting so close to the end babes! Thanks for hanging in there with us. 
> 
> <3 <3 <3


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaahhhhh friends! Here it is, our second to last chapter and the last one I've had the pleasure to write! Please be gentle as I am not a sports player or watcher (other than haikyuu of course!) so writing Quidditch was a challenge! Shoutout to my friends [karasunonolibero](https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunonolibero/pseuds/karasunonolibero) and [augustgreatsword](https://archiveofourown.org/users/augustgreatsword/pseuds/augustgreatsword) who really helped me in understanding how sports feel, look as a player, and how plays are made and decided upon. I hope I did your advice justice!
> 
> And a big final shoutout to our friend [joshllyman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/joshllyman/pseuds/joshllyman), an ever present wonder who keeps our spirits raised, has helped so much to beta and support us, and just be a generally awesome friend. We are lucky to have you.

When Daichi woke the next morning, he was still for a moment, casting off the haze of sleep and trying to differentiate reality from dream. Everything that had happened the night before was so totally and utterly outside the laws of reality that it had to be a dream. Yet as he stretched, his body aching in the most delicious ways, ways it hadn't hurt in so long, he dared to hope.

The things that Kuroo had said to him were written on his very bones, the beauty of them still too much to fully process. Nothing about it had been expected, every new turn a glorious surprise. Was this really the kind of thing that happened to people in real life?

He could still feel the tender kiss that Kuroo had left him with at the end of the night and brought his fingers to his lips as the sweet memory filled him.

_Tomorrow we meet as enemies, but once it's over, never again._ That's what he had said, his wondrous golden eyes scanning Daichi's face one last time before he turned away. It still made him feel breathless and drunk. That his proud rival had yielded to him in sweet supplication, not at all how he had thought their first foray would go. He shivered from the whisper of remembered ecstasy.

“Daichi, get up! You got to go get ready for your game. You've already slept in,” his roommate admonished and he sighed, sitting up slowly as his muscles screamed at him. “Wow, dude, is that a hickey? Glad you were doing something fun out so late.” The other boy laughed and shrugged on his robe, whisking out the door. He should be worried or annoyed. Daichi just smiled.

As he dressed and gathered his equipment he tried to get himself into the right headspace for the game. Going over tactics and formations, trying to foresee what the Slytherins would have in store for him. The problems was, every time he thought about Kuroo, his heart constricted painfully and he lost focus. He was so caught up in heady affection that he was halfway to the locker rooms when a crucial part of last night smashed into him and stopped him dead in his tracks.

_Without the win I’m on my own._

He'd never even considered Kuroo's future, his dreams, until now. It had somehow gone from being the furthest thing from his concern to a raging, pounding priority. Kuroo had spoken of his talk with Washijo in an easy tone, but his shoulders had been tight, his brow furrowed. He'd covered his fear with such stalwart pride that it had stolen Daichi's breath. But he could see the cracks in that facade, Kuroo's avoidance of the looming threat that Washijo had placed upon him.

The Slytherin Head of House was well connected, that much was certainly true. He was old and wily, cutthroat when he wanted to be. Knowing that the Slytherin team was capable of winning against Gryffindor, was even likely to, he would not take kindly to a loss. As captain, Kuroo would take the brunt of the blame for such a loss. Players were always recruited from school teams, with barely an exception. If Kuroo didn't get noticed or recommended before he graduated...

“You lost, Captain?” Saeko's smoky voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he turned to see the Tanaka siblings heading toward the locker rooms. Saeko wore her usual sure smile, but Ryuu looked a bit offput. He lagged behind as his sister took long strides toward Daichi.

“Ah, you caught me daydreaming. Was just heading to the locker room to get things set up. You guys ready for today?” He tried to be cheery, but it came across weak. Saeko waved a hand as she passed by him, but Ryuu stopped in front of him, giving him a worried look. Daichi's eyebrows bounced at him in question and he sighed.

“You'd tell me if something was going on, right? Like, I thought we were best friends, but lately I've barely seen you and I keep hearing stuff about you.” Daichi felt his face blanch. He had been an absent friend, trying to conquer his own demons and deal with the existential crisis that was realizing his true feelings toward his rival. Still, bringing the team in on things right now, just before the game, might not be the best idea. He patted Ryuu's shoulder and led him down the hall.

“I'm sorry. I've been wrapped up with a lot. I promise, after the game, I'll tell you everything. But right now, we have one thing to focus on, and that's beating Slytherin. If they win this game, they win the house cup, end of story. So bear with me for just a little while longer, mkay?” Ryuu gave him a sidelong glance, sighing heavily but nodding.

As they entered the locker room, Daichi took stock of his team. Saeko and Michimiya were the only other seventh years, both with careers in mind which had nothing to do with Quidditch. Would it really matter, to any of them, if they won or lost today? They all knew that losing was very possible, the Slytherin's had trounced them on more than one occasion. So why did it feel so ugly to consider this?

Part of him knew the answer wasn't just what he'd be doing to his team. Despite whatever was blossoming between them, maybe because of it, if Kuroo knew that Daichi wasn't giving his all...he would be furious. But still, his whole future, his dream could be riding on this game. It wasn't that important to anyone else. That mattered for something.

Once they were all dressed and settled, they crowded around their captain, big smiles and nervous energy bouncing between all of them. Hinata had had to run to the bathroom stalls more times than he could count. Daichi took a deep breath and looked at each of them in turn.

“Okay guys, this is it. This will be the last game for some of us, but we know that the rest of you will do us proud. It's been a hell of a ride. No matter what happens out there today, just remember everything we've been through and how we always stood by each other. There's not a single weak link in this chain. Slytherin is really tough this year, but I believe that we can beat them. Keep your eyes open, you know their tricks. Hinata-” He turned to lock eyes with the little redhead who stared queasily up at him.

“Their Seeker is good, but you're a natural. Don't forget where the Bludgers are, but I want your attention focused on finding that Snitch. Don't listen to their taunts. If nothing else, don't forget that you can bait the other team's Seeker, sending his eyes in the wrong direction. You've got a whole arsenal of tools, so remember to use them. You've got this.” He ruffled Hinata's hair and the kid seemed to almost glow with excitement. Daichi had a good feeling about this one.

“You two,” he said, pointing at the Tanaka siblings, “synchronicity. Don't fight today. I need you in tune with one another. Their Beaters are good, even the new guy, don't let them be better at harmony than you are.” He turned toward the three Chasers, Ennoshita's gaze slipping away from him. They hadn't really spoken much since the incident with Suga in the stands, but honestly, he couldn't care less about it right at the moment.

“You guys are the hands steering this ship. You know the Slytherin Chasers are merciless, but you can't let that slow you down. Noya, you're one of the best Chasers I've ever seen, and Ennoshita and Michimiya, you're both natural born leaders who follow each other's cues like you're reading minds. You're just as good as Kuroo and Oikawa and the time and dedication you've put into this is everything out there. Their Keeper is new and there's no way he can handle you three. Hey,” he slapped a hand over Ennoshita's shoulder, making him jump a bit but also make eye contact, “we're a team. We're a family. Let's all go out there and make each other proud.”

His gut roiled. It had been a good speech. He could feel it buoy his teammates, bind them together in a way that had always come naturally to him. The guilt of his dishonesty gnawed at him, but, priorities. There would always be next year for Noya, who wanted to go pro. They all clasped hands in the center and let out a whoop, collecting their brooms and heading out to the field.

As they stretched and did warm ups, Daichi watched the stands begin to fill. A cheer went up from the Slytherin towers as the team made their way to the opposite side of the field. Oikawa was striking a pose, as always, his gleaming smile aimed toward the fluttering fan club that leaned dangerously over the banister of the Slytherin stands. Not that Daichi's eyes had any ability to remain on the flashy Chaser.

Seeing Kuroo out here, like this, his shoulders back and chin high, it was jarring in a way. Like the overlay of two worlds trying to crash together. He'd seen him like this so many times, proud, cocky, focused, but never with the backdrop of what he looked like come undone, so recent in his memory. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments, Kuroo turning quickly away, and Daichi felt his whole body blush. Those words would never leave him, _I'm yours_ , burned into him with all the force of a conflagration.

There was something about watching him now, sneaking glances as he expertly warmed up his team, his eyes so purposefully avoiding Daichi. He understood why. Kuroo had to be all focus, the game was too important to him and he couldn't risk being distracted by his opponent. Daichi smirked. He wished it were any other game, would love nothing more than to try to distract Kuroo and fluster him for once. But not today. He saw Professor Washijo up in the stands, his venomous stare fixed on Kuroo as he pulled the team close for a huddle. Daichi followed his lead, pulling the Gryffindors in as well.

“Okay guys, I want to do a soft approach. If we're able to get the Quaffle first, I want you to do an outside run and pull the Chasers from the field. I want their new Keeper feeling like he's alone out there before you descend upon him. If they get it first, hold back on some of the defensive strategies. Let's let them be cocky and think we have nothing new to bring to the table.” His voice was steady but his insides flipped as the poor plan rolled out of him. It was a great strategy...if they were playing the Hufflepuffs. But the Slytherins got better with each success and he knew that their new blonde keeper was nearly unshakable.

“Daichi-san, are you sure that's the best course for the first round?” It was Michimiya's kind voice that expressed what he was seeing written on the faces of his team. Noya had flushed with frustration and Ennoshita clearly disagreed, but remained quiet, likely due to their tensions over Suga. Luckily, Daichi had prepared for this, as best as one could.

“I hear you, but I think that driving hard and fast like we usually do won't gain us the upper hand. That's what they expect. If we play it slow, we get inside their heads. It's unpredictable and will give them pause. Just trust me. Do it.” And he turned away from them, not giving them time to argue. The Slytherins were already lined up and as his team fell in line behind him, he took hurried and jittery steps across the field to meet Kuroo. It was so surreal, watching him walk toward Daichi like he had many times, but with such a different tension zapping between them.

As their eyes met over the short expanse of grass and Kuroo gave him a sly look, his head cocking slightly, Daichi couldn't suppress the grin that overtook him. He was so handsome it almost hurt to look at him, that wild tangle of hair falling haphazardly over his face, golden eyes flashing in the morning sun. He wanted to touch him, to pull him against his body and taste his skin once more. And while he knew very well that he couldn't do that now, the promise of what lay in the future had his face flushing hot under Kuroo's steady gaze.

“You keep looking at me all hungry like that, and I might get the wrong idea, Sawamura.” His expression stayed calm, but the curve of his mouth was so suggestive, no malice behind his taunt, it just made Daichi squirm. He cleared his throat and extended his hand for the shake.

“Yeah, or the right one,” he whispered, and gained no small amount of satisfaction at the blush that crept over Kuroo's face as he looked away. He took Daichi's hand in a firm shake, but his thumb trailed a lazy circle over his wrist.

“Let's get this out of the way then. Focus on better things.” They shook and Daichi felt a bit of the shadow fall over his heart about his choice once again. Kuroo wouldn't like it, but he needed to make sure that they won this game. Kuroo deserved this win. He deserved the future that he had been dreaming about. No way was a game more important than that.

He must have failed at hiding those thoughts from his face, because Kuroo quirked an eyebrow at him, his expression softening.

“Hey,” he whispered, leaning a bit closer, “don't worry. Everything will be fine, no matter what happens. Just watch your ass out there.” Daichi looked at him, that cat-like grin shifting back to devilish. “I have a vested interest in it, after all.” He winked and it pierced Daichi like an arrow. Kuroo spun with a flourish, his robes fluttering behind him as he made his way back and Daichi had to force himself to turn back to his team with an obvious grin.

“Wow, not letting him get to you today, huh Daikun?” Saeko teased, but Ryuu was giving him a suspicious scowl that he dutifully ignored as he mounted his broom. They took off into the air, doing a crowd circle opposite of the Slytherins, to be cheered and booed at the stands in fairly equal measure. The game was packed, with the House Cup also likely riding on the final score. They took their places, the Chasers and Beaters flying low as Nekomata opened the case containing the four balls. Three students stepped forward, unchaining the Bludgers and taking out the Snitch as the head coach lifted the Quaffle into the air. Daichi looked over to Hinata, both of them farther back, by the goal hoops. He was hyper focused, the tip of his tongue poking between his teeth. The whistle screamed into the charged atmosphere and the ball came sailing up.

It would have looked a mess to the casual observer, and from his distance, even Daichi had trouble following their movements, but he saw the play begin to take form as they pressed the outside of the field. As he expected, the Slytherin Chasers kept to the inside, pushing them farther out, and before they could make it to the goal hoops, Kuroo cut up from under Ennoshita and intercepted his pass, charging down the empty field. Daichi had set the play up perfectly, for the opposing team. As his Chasers turned to follow, a Bludger slammed into Michimiya, spinning her in the air before Saeko could hit it back toward Iwaizumi. He wore a smug smile.

As the three enemy Chasers sped toward him, he felt the jittery anticipation slip smoothly into the quiet and focused calm that allowed him to react. Adrenaline surged and he let his mind clear, seeing only the ball. He snatched at a glimpse of Kuroo's eyes, devious and penetrating...well, he didn't have to let them score every goal.

The other two split from him, equidistant, but Kuroo gave nothing away, his eyes locked on Daichi. He inched forward, prepared to go wherever the ball, would fly. Kuroo feinted, but he was used to that trick, so when it sailed instead toward Terushima, Daichi was already responding, shifting toward the far goal before Terushima even caught the Quaffle. When it sailed toward the hoop, he deflected it easily with an outstretched arm and the crowd cheered behind them.

He didn't have time to enjoy though, as the deflected ball was caught below them and hoisted up, Kuroo cutting across to score through the opposing hoop. They'd known and counted on him deflecting the shot. Of course. The first ten points went on the board and Oikawa passed him a subtle rude gesture, out of sight of the ref. He went to retrieve the Quaffle and his team gathered, Michimiya looking no worse for ware as she rubbed her shoulder. Neither seeker had made a move yet.

“Okay, you were right. Direct approach now. Don't let up on them.” They all nodded but the morale impact was already clear. The first to score always had the best chance of winning. At the end of the day, the Snitch would generally be the deciding factor anyway. He dismissed them and tossed the Quaffle back into play.

As the game progressed, Daichi didn't suggest any more purposefully bad plays. He just...let himself be more distracted than he should. It was easy. He just watched Kuroo instead of the ball. He let himself think about the night before, about the possibilities of nights hereafter. It slowed his reaction time just enough so that he failed to deflect more than usual, but still enough to look like he was in full swing. Still, as the gap between their scores widened, it was crushing to see his team get beaten down.

Kuroo was also giving him surly looks. He thought he was being sneaky, but his rival looked more and more frustrated every time they scored against him. In their most recent run up, he saw the play for what it was, Terushima approaching from one side with the Quaffle and the other two on the opposite side, ready to receive a pass. Daichi rushed Terushima, challenging him to make a snap decision on where to send the ball, but there was really only one good option anyway. Terushima turned so they shoulder checked and he threw the ball down to Oikawa, cutting in front of Daichi to try to cost him time. He let it happen, charging a moment to late to reach the far hoop as the ball sailed through it, inches shy of his outstretched hand.

Oikawa sneered at him as the score changed. They sat at 30 to 70, with Slytherins in the lead. It wasn't looking great. Kuroo threw a signal toward the ref and the whistle blew. The announcer proclaimed “Slytherins are calling a time out, folks!” That was good, he needed a break, to be honest. Somehow, playing to lose was even more taxing than playing to win. He landed amidst his team, all somewhat dour faced, but no one saying anything.

“Any sign of the Snitch, Hinata? We could really use that about now.” The short redhead shook his mound of fluffy hair, discouragement written on his face. Truth be told, his chances of outwitting Akaashi in getting the Snitch were very slim and they all knew that. Ryuu stepped forward.

“Daichi, is everything-”

“Sawamura!” The shout startled them all out of their frustration and the team parted as Kuroo marched straight up to him, his mouth a hard line to match his grim scowl.

“K-Kuroo!” Instead of stopping in front of him, Kuroo grabbed him by the upper arm and hauled him toward the edge of the field.

“We need to have a chat.” His voice was sharp and gruff and Daichi was floundering in trying to decide if he should deny it or just own up to it. There was only one reason Kuroo could be so angry right now, and it was because he had figured it out.

When they reached the locker room, Kuroo shoved him so that he hit against one of the lockers, but he kept his distance. His hands were balled into fists and he crossed his arms in front of him in defiance.

“What the fuck are you doing out there? I've never seen you play so shittily. Tell me you're not doing what I think you're doing.” He felt both shame and pride flash within him for a moment, but the moment it registered on his face, he saw Kuroo's nostrils flare in anger and he took a menacing step toward him. Daichi stood his ground and met his gaze dead on, puffing his chest out slightly.

“Look, Kuroo, the outcome of this game actually matters to you. And because of that, it matters to me. It means nothing if we win, none of us gain anything out of it except bragging rights. But this is your future-”

“So you thought you'd just hand it to me, huh?” he interrupted, continuing to close the distance until they were nearly nose to nose. “You weren't sure enough that I could win it on my own, so you've been fucking up and handing us pity points? In what world did you think would I want that?” Daichi felt his face redden from frustration and he threw his hands out, his voice raising as well.

“I'm not going to apologize for prioritizing your damn career over a stupid game! Especially when I'm the reason so much pressure has been put on you to win this thing! I'm trying to do this for you!” Kuroo grabbed the front of his robes and shook him, once, his eyes narrowed.

“I would rather lose it all because you respected me enough to try your best, than have a gilded professional career because you didn't believe I was worth your effort. You idiot.” The crushing feeling in Daichi's chest constricted further as he registered the hurt on Kuroo's face. The anger yielded beneath it and he gently took his wrists.

“Kuroo, no, it's not like that. I just didn't want to risk you losing everything. Please, I-”

“How did you think I would feel? Learning that any success I had wasn't something I earned by my own abilities, but something that you orchestrated against the betterment of your team? And tell me this, Daichi, how impressed do you think any talent scout is going to be if the team we're playing against is garbage and barely even trying?”

“My team is trying!” He huffed out, a dying flail of his wounded pride.

“Yeah, and you're letting them down. And you're letting me down. I don't doubt that your heart is in the right place, and we can wax poetic later about how stupidly sweet this whole thing was, but don't you dare do this to me. I need you, of all people, to believe in me out there. If you think I'm really good enough to go pro, then you can't phone it in out there. I need you in top form, fighting me tooth and nail, no holds barred, or it won't be a win. No matter what the points say. You got me?”

Daichi felt prickling at his eyes and he shut them tight, running a hand over his face as Kuroo released him and stepped back. He'd let his fear get the better of him, fear for someone he cared for deeply, but everything Kuroo had said was right. And he'd known all this, buried it at the back of his mind and told himself he was doing the right thing.

“I'm sorry. You're right. I just...I was afraid for you. After you told me what Washijo said-”

“Fuck Washijo.” Daichi looked at him in shock. He'd never been so harsh regarding the Slytherin Head of House before and the words slammed home just where Kuroo's priorities lay. He pulled Daichi in, kissing him firmly, hand at his nape, sending sweet fire rushing through him.

“Just believe in me. Give me all you've got because I won't accept anything less from you. Not now, not ever. You are my rival and I am only as good as you push me to be. Please. Don't let me down anymore out there, Sawamura.” His words, so softly whispered against Daichi's skin, made him thrum with the desire to please Kuroo. That ferocious competitive edge that had tied them together for so long heaved to life, and Daichi took a fistful of his black hair and pulled him back making him hiss.

“Then I hope you're ready to risk everything. Because if you think this game is won, you've got another thing coming. I'm taking it back.” His bravado earned him a low chuckle and delighted smirk as he released Kuroo's hair and nipped at his throat.

“Good, but you better stop that, or we'll never make it back out on the field.” Reluctantly, he pulled away at Kuroo's tease, but not before the other captain captured his lips once more. Now it was Daichi who had something to prove. When they finally parted, he nodded to Kuroo and headed back out onto the field. His team looked concerned as he approached them and he huffed out a sigh.

“I'm sorry, I haven't been my best so far this game. I've let you down. But I'm done with that. My mind has been elsewhere when you needed me here, so I'm going to be here. Despite my shit, you have all been doing great today and I'm ready to close the gap. They are only 40 points ahead of us, that's nothing. Four goals. Four goals against their junior Keeper, who is good, but not good enough to beat Nishinoya's speed, Ennoshita's support, and Michimiya's precision. Tanakas, I need you out there crushing those Bludgers into those snakes. We've all got bruises and I want more of them. A special prize to anyone who can make sure Oikawa ends up face down in the mud.”

The shift in his teammates was palpable, his last line drawing smiles from the siblings and a snort from Nishinoya. He grabbed at their arms, hands, and shoulders, meeting each one's gaze to convey both apology and hope.

“Good to have you back, Captain,” Nishinoya said, remounting his broom.

“Good to be back. Never thought it would be Kuroo slapping me around for slacking, but what are rivals for, eh? Now come on. Let's turn this thing around.” They all bounced back on to their brooms with renewed vigor, zipping into the air to wait for the game to restart. But as Daichi looked over, he noticed that Kuroo still hadn't joined his team and he glanced back over to the locker rooms. What was Kuroo doing in there? A bad feeling nestled in his gut as he watched Iwaizumi begin to cross the field toward where his captain hadn't yet reappeared, only briefly passing Daichi a look of veiled hostility.

He was ready to prove himself. Now he just needed his contender back on the field. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This project has been one of the most fun hobby things I have ever done. Working with beauxxxtiful_lies is always wonderful, I adore her writing so much, and this exercise I flung at her out of the blue one day has easily become one of my favorite creations. Thank you so much for doing this crazy thing with me friend. I don't know what I'd be without you <3<3<3


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *stumbles in three days late with a fist full of papers and coffee stains on my shirt* 
> 
> Sorry for the delay dear readers! I wanted to write a banger of an ending for you, and I _think_ I’ve finally done it!
> 
> I hope you enjoy! Thanks to everyone who followed along with our updates. It has been so fun for Cat and I to share this with you! <3 <3 <3

Kuroo listened to Daichi’s footsteps fade away down the corridor. Rather than follow after the other captain, he took a moment to try and compose himself before rejoining his team. His heart still pounded furiously in his chest, though now it was fueled by a familiar drive to win instead of by anger. He had been fuming when he’d called for a time out and dragged Sawamura into the locker room without even stopping to spare a glance at his own team’s huddle—seeing red in a way that had very little to do with his rival’s banner colors. 

Kuroo couldn’t believe that proud Sawamura would be so foolish, but from the very first play he had known that something was amiss. The longer the game went on the more apparent it had become—to Kuroo at least. 

He thought that maybe Daichi was having trouble focusing on the game after the way they spent their evening. It definitely wasn’t easy to stay focused. He knew that well enough himself. It took everything in his power to keep his eyes from wandering over to his boyfriend during the team warmups. 

_Boyfriend._ Gods, just the thought made him giddy. But he couldn’t afford to be distracted today. Not with so much riding on the outcome of the game. 

It didn’t take long to realize that it wasn’t just distraction on Daichi’s end though—something was wrong. This wasn’t the Daichi that Kuroo was used to playing against. And Kuroo had never seen a team lose morale as fast as he had when he successfully sank that first goal—especially not the Gryffindor team.

To the average viewer in the stands it probably wasn’t obvious. Daichi’s movements weren’t lazy or exaggerated. Just a half-second slower than normal, but it was enough to throw off his whole team’s rhythm. Kuroo had watched the fight drain from the Gryffindors after only one failed play, and while it was true that whoever scored first had a good chance of carrying that momentum through the game, it wasn’t a death sentence. Far from it. Hell, he had personally experienced that very team coming back from greater odds to trounce them in the final plays of a game. 

The Gryffindor players were visibly frustrated—brows set and expressions grim. Both Tanaka siblings looked as though they were just barely able to hold themselves back from lashing out, though not at the Slytherins, but at their captain. 

And Daichi? 

Daichi looked guilty.

Even more than the strange behavior from his teammates, it was Daichi’s eyes that had given him away. 

Daichi had blocked their first attempt to score. Of course, Kuroo had counted on that, but when his eyes flicked to the Gryffindor captain after scoring the rebound what he found there threw him off guard. The fire that he was so accustomed to seeing from his rival was gone. There was no doubt in Kuroo’s mind that Daichi should have been able to block that second shot, but that didn’t matter. Not really. The look in his eyes had said it all—He hadn’t even tried. 

His team had been buoyed by the score, so he tried not to let it bother him, but it was unsettling. Each time he sent the quaffle sailing through the goal post he waited for Daichi’s response, but there was none of that familiar push and pull. No struggle for who would come out on top. 

It was like Daichi had already decided. 

Just thinking about it made his insides churn. Kuroo ran a frustrated hand through his hair and took a steadying breath. No point getting worked up over it again. Sawamura was back in the game, and there was no way Kuroo was going to let his team’s forty point lead go without a fight. 

Kuroo was halfway out the door when a cloaked figure stepped into his path. He pulled up short, just barely saving himself from tripping over his own feet. He quickly schooled his expression, but fear gripped him like a vice, tightening around his throat and choking off his voice as the figure clapped their hands in front of them. 

“My, my,” Professor Washijo stepped far enough out of the shadows to reveal himself. The darkness accentuated the deep wrinkles in his face—his thick brows drawn up in a scowl that sent a chill racing down Kuroo’s spine. The sharp sound of his clapping cut through the empty corridor and echoed off of the metal lockers as Kuroo backed away— _Crack! Crack! Crack!_

There was no way Washijo hadn’t heard at least part of what Kuroo said to Sawamura. The air of intimidation given off by the man was overwhelming. Kuroo could hardly breathe under the tremendous force of that pressure bearing down on him, and every sense he had was screaming at him to _get back to the field._ He wanted to run, but it was too late. He was already cornered as Washijo slowly closed the distance between them. 

“And to think, it was such a marvelous performance. I dare say, you almost had me convinced.” 

Kuroo felt his shoulders hit the bank of lockers behind him, halting his retreat. 

“What was it you had said just yesterday? That your allegiance lies with your team? Now here you are, finally showing your true colors. I only wish I could say I was surprised.” Washijo’s tone was condescending, and filled with venom, and Kuroo struggled to find the words to defend himself. 

“Professor, I—” 

“What!?” Washijo spat, interrupting Kuroo. “Do you intend to deny what I just heard from your own tongue?” Washijo cast a quick glance over his shoulder. It was clear he was trying to keep his voice down, and that alarmed Kuroo more than the yelling. “None of your little friends or your _rumors_ to hide behind this time.”

Kuroo swallowed hard around the knot in his throat, and took a deep breath to steady himself as Washijo pinned him against the cold metal lockers with his penetrating stare.

“A win is still a win, Kuroo, despite your damned pride. And you had better believe that unlike you, I intend to keep my promise. Each and every person responsible for that little incident in the common room will be held accountable and punished accordingly. Sneaking students into your dormitory. Unapproved magical items. Lying to a school official...”

Kuroo could see his friends’ faces flash through his mind. Akaashi, Bokuto, Iwaizumi. They had all helped him in some way, and though he didn’t say their names the look in his eye told Kuroo that Washijo already knew. Given how angry he was, Washijo probably considered the whole Slytherin team to be complicit in some way. 

Kuroo’s blood ran cold as Washijo continued, “Sneaking around the castle after hours. Not to mention, trespassing in a forbidden zone.” 

A forbidden zone? He had to mean the rooftop. It couldn’t be anything else. And that meant that Daichi too was at risk, all because of Kuroo. 

It took Kuroo a moment to realize Washijo had paused, eyes narrowed, watching him carefully to gauge his reaction. He felt the anger rise like bile in the back of his throat. Kuroo couldn’t let them all be punished for something he was responsible for.

“It’s my fault,” Kuroo managed to say. “All of it. Don’t punish anyone else for something I’m responsible for.” 

Washijo scoffed, “That idiot boy was about to hand you everything on a silver platter, and instead you’ve chosen to counter his poor choice with another poor choice. And for what?! You actually believe that boy, _that Gryffindor_ , cares for you?” The disdainful look Washijo gave him made Kuroo feel like sinking into the floor. “Fool.” 

Kuroo clenched his jaw and shook his head. He knew without a doubt that Daichi cared for him. Once they had cleared up the misunderstandings, Kuroo hadn’t once questioned or suspected Daichi’s intentions. But that didn’t matter. He didn’t need to justify his relationship with Daichi to anyone. Least of all, Washijo. 

“You’re a disgrace to the Slytherin name. The only reason I’m not stripping you of your title right now is because it would draw too much attention in the middle of a game. Despite your best efforts to steamroll our victory, I’ll not allow the team to be further distracted. You _are_ going to win this game, and you’re going to do it my way.” 

Kuroo watched him reach deep into his breast pocket. When he drew his hand out he was clutching a ring made of thick white gold with an ornate Slytherin seal stamped on top. He held it before Kuroo’s nose, pinched between his bony fingers. The emerald serpent inscribed on it glowed under the harsh fluorescent light of the locker room. 

“What is that?” Kuroo asked, although he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.

“This is going to ensure that your little misstep hasn’t cost me either the Quidditch or the House Cup. Gryffindor is leading the Quidditch Cup championship by 200 points. Meaning, it’s not enough for you to win. You have to _annihilate_ them.” 

Kuroo reached out and took the ring tentatively, holding it in his palm. Whatever it was, it was powerful. He could practically feel it buzz with magical energy. 

“That is an Impact Ring. One of my own design. It will amplify the...force of the wearer.” 

An Impact Ring? He couldn’t seriously be suggesting... “And what am I supposed to do with it?” 

“I don’t particularly care which one of you wears it. Our beaters are both quite brutal. This should allow us to score the points we need, and a small uptick in their hitting power will likely go unnoticed.” 

“Bludgers are dangerous enough as it is. If they hit a bludger or a player while wearing this… This could seriously injure someone. You can’t really believe that Iwaizumi or Kyoutani would agree to this?” 

“If their captain tells them to do something, then they should do it. If they don’t, then maybe I should have removed you from your position a long time ago.” The sharp edge to his voice made Kuroo flinch. He couldn’t believe that Washijo would consider harming students in the name of victory over the Gryffindors. 

“And if they refuse?”

“I’m not asking, Kuroo. I’m telling you. If they won’t wear it, slip it in one of their pockets. Charm them. Hell, make them swallow it if you have to. _I don’t care._ Just get it done. If you’re not a coward you’ll wear that ring yourself, and knock that golden boy off his pedestal and into the dirt where he belongs.”

Washijo turned on his heel and stomped out of the room. He paused just as he reached the threshold, turning back to give Kuroo one last withering glare. 

“Against my better judgment I’m giving you one final chance. It’s not too late to mend what has been broken. It’s time to start acting like a Slytherin. Now get back out there and win me that Cup.” 

The harsh way Washijo enunciated each syllable left Kuroo buzzing—nerves tingling, raw and exposed with each word that lashed into him. This was wrong. It was all so wrong. There was no way he could knowingly go back out to the field if it meant risking the safety of the other players, and that included their rivals. And he’d never put that kind of burden on his teammates. Even if he could, that’s not the kind of game he wanted to play. That’s not the kind of Slytherin he wanted to be. 

Before he could think it through, Kuroo rushed out into the corridor after Washijo. He squeezed his fist tight around the Impact Ring, the metal edge biting into the flesh of his palm as he practically shouted, “No! No. I won’t do it.” 

For a moment the only sound beside the rushing of his heart in his ears was the hollow echo of his voice as it rang down the corridor. Washijo turned back, and Kuroo almost wished he had kept quiet, but he held tight to that spark of conviction that had flared within him at Washijo’s draconian methods.

“We’ll win, but not this way,” he said holding up the fist that contained the ring. 

Washijo was in front of him in a blink. Kuroo staggered to keep his balance as the professor twisted his fingers into the collar of his robe and jerked him down to eye level, enraged at Kuroo’s disobedience. Despite the fear coursing through his veins Kuroo pressed onward. 

“I know what it means to be a Slytherin, and it’s not this twisted thing that you’ve become.” 

“You know nothing,” Washijo hissed. “And you’re a fool to throw away my offer. The task I’ve given you is simple, and mark my words, if you fail you will regret it.” 

Kuroo felt an odd sense of clarity as his fear was overtaken by his anger. He bowed further down, meeting the professor’s steely gaze. “Punish me if you want, but I won’t force my team to stoop to your level. Every single person out on that field will do whatever it takes to win, but that shouldn’t mean sacrificing our values and morals to get it done.” 

Washijo’s fingers twisted tighter. Kuroo could see a vein throbbing at his temple as his lip curled in a snarl. He could see movement out of the corner of his eye, and just as he braced himself—for what, he wasn’t sure—he heard a familiar voice call out from behind him. 

“Hey, Kuroo!” Iwaizumi shouted. “Come on! Coach Nekomata is looking for you. Can’t get this thing restarted without our Captain!”

Just like that, Washijo had released him to stalk away down the corridor. His dark robes like a receding fog billowing in his wake. Kuroo kept his eyes on Washijo’s retreating form. Not trusting the man enough to look away for even a second until he felt Iwaizumi’s steady hand grip his shoulder. 

“Hey, are you okay?” Iwaizumi said, much quieter than before. “He didn’t pull his wand on you, did he?” 

“No, I’m fine. Just...typical Devil Professor.” 

Only, nothing about that had been typical. Professor Washijo was known for his outbursts, but Kuroo had never known him to be violent against his students. He did his best to avoid Iwaizumi’s questioning eyes as they headed back to the game.

“Well, good. He’s been getting more and more erratic lately. I saw him grab you and I just...I’m glad you’re okay. We need our Captain out there, you know.” Iwaizumi flashed him a grin and slugged Kuroo in the arm playfully before stepping under the overhang and onto the field. 

Kuroo huffed a laugh. He moved to rub at his shoulder, and was surprised to find the Impact Ring that Washijo had given him still clutched tightly in his fist. He turned it over, watching the sunlight sparkle off the green gemstones, and for the briefest of moments he wondered

...what if…

But here, now, listening to the roar of the crowd as they watched the players once again take to their brooms, he knew that no matter what happened with Washijo he had made the right choice. Without a second thought, Kuroo tossed the ring into the trash bin by the entrance to the field and trotted out to rejoin his team.

Once he was back in the air he waved the Slytherins in for a huddle. Oikawa was the first to speak with a surprisingly tentative, “Kuroo, are you…?” 

“I’m alright. Sorry I kept you guys waiting. You all know as well as I do that the Gryffindors have been playing like garbage, but it’s not going to be like that anymore. They’ll be coming at you hard and fast, but we’ve prepped all season for this game. We’re forty points ahead, and if they think they’re gonna take it back that easily they’ve got another thing coming.” 

The Slytherins’ faces lit up with ferocious grins at the words from their Captain.

“Akaashi, don’t forget we need at least a sixty point lead before you can think about catching that snitch. For now, you’re doing great at drawing Hinata away. Keep that up.” Akaashi gave a firm nod at Kuroo’s direction.

“Tsukishima, don’t second guess yourself out there. Your read blocking has come a long way, and you know all their tells. You won’t be able to block them all. Just stay alert, and stay focused.” 

Kuroo turned to his beaters, and felt a flash of anger at the tactics Washijo had tried to get Kuroo to impose on them. “You two. Same thing, stay alert and focused. Excellent teamwork so far. Your coordination is on fleek today.” They all stared at him blankly. “What? That’s what the kids say, right?” 

“No...just...no,” Kyoutani muttered, shaking his head while the rest of the team burst into laughter. 

“Ahh, youth,” Kuroo mused as they wiped at their eyes and hid smiles behind their hands. “And Chasers!” Oikawa and Terushima looked to him expectantly. “Let’s go have some fun.” 

They all put their fists together in the middle of the circle and raised them up high, whooping and cheering before flying out in wide arcs away from the huddle to take their positions.

Coach Nekomata blew the whistle and the game was back on. Their challengers snapped to attention as soon as the quaffle was tossed back into play, and Ennoshita managed to take control of the ball first, zig-zagging down the field toward Slytherin’s goal posts.

Kuroo waited near the half-way point, letting his team take the lead, watching the play unfold and preparing himself for the moment they would come hurtling back toward him. 

A well-timed bludger from Iwaizumi stopped Ennoshita in his tracks. Michimiya made a desperate attempt to round back and intercept, but just as Ennoshita was about to pass the quaffle off to her Oikawa swooped in from below to snatch it away. He darted back down the field, heading straight for Kuroo, a manic smile painted across his face. It looked like they were about to collide, and just a split second before they did Oikawa pulled his broom sharply upward, veering off course. 

The pursuing Gryffindors followed after him, unwilling to be shaken off so easily. Except in their drive to catch up to him, they missed the moment just before when Oikawa tipped the quaffle into Kuroo’s outstretched hand. 

Kuroo flew unnoticed for just a moment, but it was long enough to put some space between him and the Gryffindor Chasers. He had to dodge a bludger, rolling and flying upside down to avoid impact, but it barely slowed him down. He could see Daichi hovering in front of the Gryffindor goal posts as he approached, and he felt his chest squeeze tight around his heart wondering whether he’d really gotten through to him. 

Without turning his head, Kuroo flicked his eyes to the left, checking quickly that his team was in place before he flew full tilt at Daichi. 

Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he pulled his arm back and sent the quaffle in a high arc toward the furthest goal post. Daichi darted in front of the hoop, braced to knock the ball away, but just before it reached him it was deflected by someone else. 

Terushima swooped in, seemingly out of nowhere, standing on his broom. He jumped and launched himself into the air, grabbing the quaffle and redirecting it. Sending it spiraling toward the center goal post. 

By the time Daichi realized what was happening it was too late to block the shot. 

Terushima landed back on his broom just as cheers erupted across the field. The crowd went wild for Terushima’s antics, but Coach Nekomata usually didn’t approve of such recklessness. Even if they were given a penalty though, Kuroo thought it was worth it to see the look on Daichi’s face when Terushima went flying past him. 

Kuroo maneuvered his broom up to fly level with Sawamura, and his heart stuttered at what he found when their eyes locked. 

“That won’t happen again,” Daichi warned with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. 

“We’ll see. Captain,” Kuroo said with a devilish wink before he swooped away to fall back into position. 

* * *

Kuroo was numb. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. More like, he wished he were numb. His whole body ached in ways he hadn’t even known were possible. 

He really should go bathe, he tried to tell himself. He’d showered quickly in the locker room, but nothing really compared to a soak in the lavish tubs in the prefect’s bathroom after a tough game—a perk that was awarded not only to prefects but to quidditch captains as well. He just couldn’t bring himself to peel his aching body off the common room floor where he’d collapsed, limbs askew, on the plush green rug. His teammates had flopped onto the sofa and armchairs around him, draped lazily over the cushions and each other. 

“I...can’t believe we lost,” came Terushima’s tired voice.

Mumbled grunts of agreement sounded out from around him.

“I _can’t_ believe we _lost_ ,” Terushima said again, misery seeping into his voice. Kyoutani tugged him sideways until Terushima tipped far enough to rest his head against his shoulder. 

On Kuroo’s other side, in an overstuffed armchair, Akaashi made a pained noise. He looked up just in time to see Akaashi fold forward to cradle his head in his hands. 

“Kuroo-san, I’m so sor—”

“Stop it,” Kuroo interrupted Akaashi with a tug on the hem of his pants. He sat up and ran a tired hand through his hair. “You have nothing to apologize for. That goes for all of you,” he said looking at each one of his players—though they all shied away from meeting his eyes. “That was the best game I think we’ve ever played. Every one of you. Even Tsukki got fired up,” he joked, kicking playfully at Tsukishimia’s foot where he was stretched out in the other armchair.

The rest of the team laughed, albeit half-heartedly, while Tsukishima crossed his arms over his chest, a small pout forming as he let himself sink deeper into the cushions. 

“But...if only I had—” Akaashi’s voice was thin and trembling, and he refused to look up from the floor. 

Kuroo cut him off again, “‘But,’ nothing. So what if we lost?” 

He hated the way his voice cracked around the words. Not that it made any difference. His team knew exactly how important that game was to Kuroo, so even if he’d been able to hide the quiver in his voice, they wouldn’t have believed him for a second. They knew him better than that. 

Still, he couldn’t stand to see the guilt and the blame written across their faces. 

“We had fun. And we played a great game. That’s got to count for something. And...we did it the right way.” Iwaizumi looked up at him, eyes flashing with recognition before he nodded in agreement. 

Movement across the room caught Kuroo’s eye and when he looked up he was surprised to see Bokuto stepping through the heavy green curtain into the common room. You could usually hear him coming long before you could see him. 

He watched Bokuto’s face crumble when his eyes found Akaashi crumpled in the armchair. He silently waved Bokuto over, peeling himself up off the rug to trade places with his friend who fell to his knees at Akaashi’s feet. 

Kuroo wondered if somehow Bokuto could feel Akaashi’s sadness, and had known that he was needed. If soulmates existed, those two were definitely it. If anyone could help Akaashi feel better right now it was his partner. 

Bokuto tipped Akaashi’s face upward with gentle fingers under his chin. He let their foreheads fall together and he cupped his lover’s face in his big hands, speaking softly to him as he smoothed his thumbs over Akaashi’s cheeks. 

Akaashi slowly unfurled, and when he did Bokuto seemed to remember something. 

“Kuroo,” he said looking around the room until he spotted Kuroo where he’d leaned against the arm of the sofa. “Bro, I almost forgot! I saw Daichi in the hall. Looked like he might be waiting for you.” 

Kuroo patted him on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. Take care of my seeker, okay?” 

But Bokuto didn’t respond, already turned back to envelop Akaashi in his arms. 

* * *

Kuroo popped his head outside and found Daichi pacing in the corridor looking nervous. He hadn’t quite been sure what to expect. Anger, sadness, regret? At the very least he thought their first meeting would feel awkward, but he discovered, when Daichi looked up and saw him standing there, he didn’t resent him at all for winning. If anything, he was happy to know that in the end they had both given their very best. 

“So, Sa’amura,” Kuroo said, slipping his hands into his pockets and strolling casually over to Daichi. “How does it feel to not be rivals anymore?” 

Daichi looked surprised, but he laughed. “Oh, we’ll always be rivals. With or without Quidditch. You’re really bad at chocolate frog racing though, so we’ll have to find some other way to compete.” 

Kuroo threw his head back with a raucous laugh that made his heart feel just a little bit lighter. He closed the distance between them, pulling Daichi in with a hand at his hip, but when he did Daichi’s expression changed. He braced himself with a hand against Kuroo’s chest—his face suddenly shrouded with guilt. 

Kuroo was so tired of that expression on his friends’ faces. He didn’t want to see it from Daichi either. 

“Kuroo, I’m so—”

“Sa’amura, I lost a very important game today. I’m injured.” 

“Injured?” Daichi raised one eyebrow skeptically.

“Mhm. My pride,” Kuroo said, dramatically clutching his chest before leaning close with a teasing smirk. “Why don’t you kiss it and make it better?” 

Daichi’s eyes tracked down Kuroo’s body, his cheeks pinking as he quickly flicked his gaze back up to Kuroo’s. “I’m not going to kiss...that.” 

Kuroo snickered and stuck his lip out in an exaggerated pout. “Well, fine. But stop looking so guilty, would you? You’ve got nothing to be sorry about, and no reason to apologize.” 

Daichi still looked like he didn’t quite agree, but Kuroo had had enough of apologies. When he took a breath to speak Kuroo interrupted him. 

“Daichi, you did what I asked, and didn’t back down. Even though I know it hurt you to do it. So stop feeling bad and just kiss me.” 

Sawamura sighed, but he tugged Kuroo in anyway. Their mouths slid together as his hands tangled into Kuroo’s hair. He pulled back far too soon, tapping his forehead against Kuroo’s affectionately. 

“I won’t apologize anymore, but… Kuroo, I know it’s different when you’re with your team, but you don’t have to put on a brave face for me.” 

He knew that. Of course he did. Kuroo clamped his eyes shut, and squeezed his arms tighter where they’d fallen to wrap around Daichi’s waist. He pressed his forehead harder against Daichi’s as he felt the tightrope he’d been walking all evening threaten to give way under the crushing weight of the loss. 

“Yeah, I know,” he said, his voice so thin it was almost a whisper. “That brave face might be more for me.” Kuroo was terrified, and that terror bubbled right under the surface, but he wasn’t ready to face it yet. “Are you sure you want to be here right now? Shouldn’t you be off celebrating with your team?” 

“They actually kicked me out. Noya said I was bringing down the vibe,” Daichi said scrunching his nose. 

Kuroo howled with laughter and reached for Sawamura’s hand. “Great! Then you’re coming to the baths with me.” 

Daichi blanched as Kuroo tugged him along. “Kuroo, that’s a public bathroom.” 

“Yes, and I want to soak all my troubles away. Unless…” He caught sight of Sawamura’s pink cheeks and with mock-surprise he gasped, “Sa’amura! How _lewd._ ”

Daichi flicked him on the forehead. “You’re a devil.” 

Kuroo’s laughter echoed down the corridor as they headed away from the Slytherin dorms arm in arm. 

* * *

Since their encounter during the quidditch match, Kuroo had managed to avoid running into Professor Washijo. He had spotted him in the stands for a brief moment, lingering in the breezeway just after Hinata had captured the snitch and the final whistle was blown. But since then no one had seen the man. It left Kuroo on edge wondering just when he would pop up with whatever cruel punishment he had devised. 

Kuroo was shocked when he arrived at the Great Hall for the year end banquet to see the professor sitting in his place at the head table. His hair that he normally kept slicked back was sticking up at odd angles. Even from across the room Kuroo could see that he had deep bags under his eyes, and his lip was curled in a snarl. He looked wild, and Kuroo felt a jolt of adrenaline remembering the last time he was nose-to-nose with that scowl. 

As soon as all the houses had filed in and taken their seats, Headmaster Ukai rose from his place at the center of the head table. The low hum of voices quieted as the students turned their attention to him—eager to begin so they could carry on with the celebration. 

He began by welcoming everyone, and taking a moment to acknowledge all the difficult academic work that had brought them there. At least that’s what Kuroo assumed. He barely heard the Headmaster’s words, but it was the same thing every year anyway. And besides, he couldn’t pay attention when he could practically feel Professor Washijo’s eyes piercing him through with disgust and accusation. 

He could feel his heart rate rising. He just wanted to get this over with, graduate, and get out—maybe then he’d feel like he could stop looking over his shoulder. 

Kuroo snapped back to attention when he heard the Headmaster exclaim, “Congratulations to House Gryffindor on winning the Inter-House Quidditch Cup. Six years in a row, I believe. Well done.”

The hall erupted in cheers and applause, though it was more subdued from the Slytherin table. As bad as Kuroo felt about the loss, it didn’t stop his heart from soaring when he glanced across the room and spotted the proud look on Sawamura’s face as the Gryffindors seated around him shook his hand and patted his shoulders. 

“And that brings us to the House Cup.” The hall grew silent again. “As of this moment, House Gryffindor leads the championship.” 

More cheers went up from the Gryffindor table. A light smattering of applause came from the rest. The Slytherin section was particularly salty given that, until the game against the Gryffindors, they had been ahead in the House Cup rankings. They now trailed by a hundred points. 

“I’m sure you’re all aware that points are awarded through academic achievement, and quidditch scoring. What you may not know is that points can also be awarded to students for acts of bravery. Coach Nekomata has brought to my attention an incident that meets just this criteria, and merits a few last minute points.”

A few students gasped, and the noise in the hall grew louder again as students tried to piece together what he could be referring to. 

“So,” his booming voice cut through the murmurs that had risen from the students. “To a student who showed great courage when they recognized another was in danger. One who went above and beyond even their duties as a prefect. Fifty points to Iwaizumi Hajime.” Ukai waved a hand toward the Slytherin table. 

There were a few moments of stunned silence as the Slytherin students turned to Iwaizumi who looked wildly uncomfortable at the attention from his classmates. Oikawa threw his arms around Iwaizumi’s shoulders, a warbled “Iwa-chan!” muffled into his shoulder as the rest of the table burst into applause.

Headmaster Ukai dipped a hand into his pocket, calmly waiting for the noise to quiet down again. All around Kuroo everyone was congratulating Iwaizumi, but he could barely hear them over his own heart pounding in his ears. His eyes were fixed on Ukai who had taken his hand from his pocket, and was tossing something up and down. 

Something small and silver. Something that, when it spun and caught the light just right, sparkled with emerald green. 

Professor Washijo jumped up from the table, his chair skidding back over the hardwood floor and toppling over with a loud crash. The room flew into chaos as he drew his wand and pointed it at the Headmaster with a roar, but Nekomata and the other teachers were already shouting spells of their own to subdue him.

Washijo tried to counter, but he couldn’t block them all. His wand was thrown from his hand just before his limbs snapped to his sides, and he fell over onto the floor, stiff as a board. 

The disgraced professor was hauled out amid gasps from the students, some of whom stood from their seats, unsure of what was happening, but prepared to defend if need be. 

The Headmaster righted the toppled chairs and raised a hand, calling for silence and motioning for students to take their seats. 

“Apologies for the dramatics,” he said with just a hint of mischief in his gruff voice. “I hope this is something you all know, but given the circumstances it bears repeating. These championships are not meant to distinguish which house is superior over the others.” 

The hall was unnaturally quiet with the students hanging on his every word. 

“Our rivalries are what make us strong. They help us learn, and grow, and adapt. They push us to be better, and that’s true whether you come out first in points or last. I believe there is one student here who understands that better than most. A student who, when faced with an unthinkable choice chose to stand their ground in a tremendous act of selflessness. A student who chose to value sportsmanship above all else.”

The Headmaster waited, letting his words sink in before he waved a hand toward the Slytherin table again. 

“Sixty points to Kuroo Tetsurou!” 

Kuroo couldn’t breathe. He was sure he had misheard, but when he looked to his friends seated around him he was met with proud eyes and beaming smiles. 

“Slytherin wins the House Cup!” Ukai boomed from the front of the room over the sound of the cheers. “Now, let the celebration begin!” 

Dishes of food appeared all down the tables, but hardly a soul paid them any mind with all attention on the dramatic turn of events. 

Kuroo’s head spun as he was jostled by his classmates—their hands shaking his, and gripping his shoulders, and patting his back. He faintly realized that it wasn’t just Slytherin students congratulating him. Members of other houses had gathered around, eager to shake the hand of the student who had dared to challenge the Devil Professor. 

He was hauled up out of his seat and spun around so fast it made him dizzy, but before he lost his footing he was pulled into a tight embrace. 

“Iwaizumi? What the fuck?” Kuroo managed to eke out. “How?” 

Iwaizumi pulled back with a brilliant smile. “Came to find you in the locker room during the game, and heard him threatening you. I got Nekomata and he heard the whole thing. I wanted to tell you, but he and Ukai wanted to make sure everything was in place first.” 

“In place? What are you talking about?” 

“What he’s talking about is that you’re basically going to have your choice of which professional team you want to play for.” Oikawa popped his head over Iwaizumi’s shoulder with an equally brilliant smile. 

Kuroo didn’t even have time to process before he was hoisted off his feet. 

“Kuroo! Bro that was wild! I’m so proud of you!” 

“Thanks buddy,” he chuckled weakly as Bokuto set him back on his feet, trying to catch his breath again after he’d just had squeezed it out of him. 

More hands were thrust into his own until finally he recognized some familiar faces. Matsukawa and Hanamaki both grinned lazily at him. 

“Congrats on bringing down the Devil Professor.” 

“I just wish you had done it before my last exam,” Hanamaki laughed. 

“Ha! Yeah, gotta work on my timing.” 

The two of them turned toward Iwaizumi and Oikawa who were still standing nearby. 

“You guys played a great game against Gryffindor,” Matsukawa said, his lidded eyes trained on Iwaizumi as he slung an arm over Hanamaki’s shoulder. 

Hanamaki hummed in agreement. “You looked _really good_ out there.” 

The insinuation was so obvious Kuroo almost laughed until he saw the way that Oikawa’s eyes flashed wide and his cheeks pinked at the compliment. 

“T-thanks,” Oikawa stuttered. 

Hanamaki slipped a bit of folded parchment from his pocket, passing it to Oikawa with a wink before they both turned and strolled away, Matsukawa’s arm still draped over Hanamaki’s shoulders. 

Kuroo couldn’t help himself. He wolf whistled at his friends who were standing there with their jaws gaping. “What’s the note say?” 

Oikawa and Iwaizumi were both still fixed on the pair walking away, watching as Matsukawa pressed a kiss to Hanamaki’s temple before they parted to return to their tables. Oikawa opened the note and his face flushed bright red almost instantly. He thrust it under Iwaizumi’s nose who’s cheeks also pinked at whatever was scrawled there. 

Iwaizumi cleared his throat and stuffed the slip of parchment into his pocket. “I know we’re about to graduate, but….maybe we should branch out. Get to know some people from other houses.” 

Oikawa nodded in earnest, “No time like the present Iwa-chan!”

Kuroo laughed again, light and easy. Suddenly the crowd around him parted, and amidst the sea of faces he recognized Daichi’s big brown eyes staring back at him. 

“H-hey,” Kuroo said weakly. He inwardly cringed at the way he stuttered over the word, and Daichi huffed a laugh like he knew exactly what was going through his mind. 

“Hey, yourself,” Daichi said with a cool grin as he stepped into Kuroo’s space. “So, ‘tremendous act of selflessness,’ huh?” He pulled Kuroo in with a hand at his nape. “I thought I told you I didn’t want you to sacrifice your future for me.” 

Kuroo curled his fingers into the front of Daichi’s robe as Daichi’s free hand came to rest at his hip. “And I thought I told you I’m not. Not when you’re the only part that matters to me.” 

They moved together, closing the little distance left between them. Everything else faded away the moment their lips met. It felt like they were standing back on the rooftop under an infinite sky as the constellations spun around them. Kuroo clung to Daichi—afraid that without that tether he just might go floating off into the bright expanse of heavens above them. 

When Daichi pulled back it was with a sigh—a sweet puff of breath over Kuroo’s kiss-damp mouth. He cupped Kuroo’s face in his hands, tracing calloused fingertips over the ghost of a bruise that still colored the skin over his eye from the wayward bludger that started it all. 

Kuroo felt his pulse skip out of time as Daichi brushed the bangs out of his face. 

“Tetsurou,” Daichi whispered. “I love you.” 

“W-what?”

“You heard me,” Daichi challenged, but he didn’t make Kuroo ask again. He leaned in close, eyes scanning Kuroo’s face as he said just a little louder, “I love you.” 

A sharp whistle brought them back to reality as they simultaneously realized that they had an audience of what appeared to be nearly every person (and even a few spirits) in the hall. Kuroo felt his face flush hot, and he was sure that it matched the bright glow on Sawamura’s cheeks. 

“You know, Sa’amura. I’m gonna think you’re an exhibitionist the way you keep publicly confessing to me,” he teased. “But, you know...I love you, too.”

Sawamura grinned so wide Kuroo could see the dimples in both his cheeks. He wanted to press kisses into each one, but he was now acutely aware of the eyes on them. 

“So, now what?” 

“I don’t know,” Kuroo said as he threaded their fingers together. “But we’ve got the rest of our lives to figure it out.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER ＼(*T▽T*)／
> 
> I can’t believe it. I can’t believe this is the end! Cat, thank you so much for yeeting that first chapter at me with a “HQ HP crossover collab? Jk, jk.... _unless_.” This has been my absolute favorite project to work on! I can’t wait for our next collab!
> 
> Jk, jk... _unless_...
> 
> If you want you can come find us on our socials
> 
> Beauxxxtiful_lies: [carrd](https://beauxxxtifullies.carrd.co/)
> 
> Catastra_fey: [tumblr](https://catastrafey.tumblr.com/)  
> ♡ ♡ ♡


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